


Of Lyres, Love, and Lalo

by PeppermintTchaikovsky



Category: Greek and Roman Mythology, The Iliad - Homer, The Song of Achilles - Madeline Miller
Genre: Alternate Universe - Orchestra, F/F, M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-02-01
Updated: 2015-09-18
Packaged: 2018-03-10 01:33:35
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 27
Words: 25,627
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/3271865
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/PeppermintTchaikovsky/pseuds/PeppermintTchaikovsky
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Achilles and Patroclus are members of the college orchestra and things fall apart.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter 1

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I wrote this with my girlfriend. Most of it. Then I decided to finish it without her and just let her see it was finished on ao3.

Chapter I:  
“Do you get stickers for hurting people?” Patroclus asked, straining his neck to look Achilles in the eye.  
“Patroclus I-“  
“There are no more excuses.” Patroclus muttered angrily.  
“You just let Agamemnon take Briseis-God knows where to do God knows what-after you called her out, and as revenge for a petty missed note-- you stopped coming to rehearsal.” Patroclus seethed.  
“What the hell, man? You have the biggest trumpet solo to ever grace orchestra music. We can’t do it without you.” Patroclus yelled.  
“I need to teach Agamemnon a lesson.” Achilles tried to reason.  
“You know what, I’m going back to my dorm. Don’t come looking for me.” Patroclus breathed.  
Without another word, he trekked across the campus with his cello in tow. His knuckles were white and his cheeks were flushed red with rage. When he entered his dorm room, he kicked off his shoes and curled up on his bed.  
“Rough day at rehearsal?” Antilochus, his roommate asked. Patroclus nodded through his blankets. Antilochus laughed.  
“I want to kill him,” Patroclus declared.  
“I feel you.” Antilochus agreed.  
“God knows, I love him, but he is going to ruin everything for everyone. No offense, but how are we supposed to find another trumpet player in time for the concert?” Patroclus said.  
“I don’t know, plus-- the board wants Achilles to play the Hummel concerto and no one else.” Antilochus sighed.  
“Why?”  
“Something about a rich daddy.”  
“It wouldn’t surprise me,” Patroclus shivered, “Hey, why is it so cold in here?”  
“It’s not any different from normal.”  
“Shit, I think I left my jacket in the rehearsal room,” Patroclus quickly rummaged through his blankets but he couldn’t find it.  
“I hope Achilles just leaves it there.”  
“You can’t truly be that upset with him.” Antilochus said, nudging his friend’s shoulder.  
“He’s a rich, snotty, crybaby and you know that.” Patroclus sighed. who said this  
“It was okay when we were seven, but not anymore.” Patroclus complained.  
“He needs to grow up.” He criticized.  
Suddenly Antilochus’s phone rang.  
“I’ve got to go,” he said while he grabbed his raincoat.  
“I’m tutoring one of the freshmen, later.” He continued as he stumbled out of the door and down to corridor into Achilles. He was tracking water into the common room and he held a green hoodie. Achilles moved to speak, but Antilochus laughed and ran out the door. Slowly, Achilles climbed up the stairs. When he reached Patroclus’s dorm, he hesitated before he knocked.  
“What do you want?” he heard from the other side of the door.  
“I have your hoodie,” he said as he looked at his shoes. There was no answer.  
“I’m sorry, okay! Can I at least come in to give you your stuff?” The door cracked open.  
“Fine,” Patroclus said and then he looked at Achilles, “Why are you so wet?”  
“It’s raining outside.”  
“I know that,” Patroclus snapped before continuing,  
“But why don’t you have a coat or something? I’m almost positive I saw you with one in rehearsal.”  
Achilles looked at his shoes, “I think I left it there.”  
“You are the most ridiculous person to grace the earth.”  
“I’m cold.” Achilles said as he batted his eyes.  
“Oh, don’t try that with me, I know your tricks,” Patroclus told him.  
“I’m still mad at you.” He informed Achilles.  
“There’s an extra blanket in the closet.” He said.  
“Can I stay here for the night?” Achilles asked.  
“What part of ‘I’m still mad at you’ don’t you understand?” Patroclus asked, annoyed.  
“The part where you are smiling and getting me a pillow.” Achilles said.  
“Don’t look too pleased. You’re sleeping in the chair.” Patroclus threw the pillow at him.  
“Why can’t you go back to your own dorm?” He inquired.  
“I think Diomedes would literally kill me.” Achilles declared.  
“With his mallets?” “Yes,” Achilles flopped into the chair and cast his hands dramatically over his face. “My beautiful face will never be seen again if he has at me.”  
“Then come backs to rehearsal!” Patroclus urged.  
“I can’t, my honor has been wounded.” Achilles grumbled  
“You played a flat note and Agamemnon called you out on it.” Patroclus's sighed  
“It was embarrassing.”  
“Not as embarrassing as pointing out that Briseis didn’t have the right sheet music. Did you even see Agamemnon’s eyes? I’m surprised she didn’t just leave.”  
“That’s what I did and you’re mad at me.” Achilles said.  
“She was actually humiliated and you have an ego the size of Alexander’s empire.”  
Achilles stuck out his lip and pouted. With his arms crossed over his chest, he looked like a five year old being denied a toy. After a few moment of silence, Achilles spoke again.  
“Oh, I hope the Muse of music comes and gives Agamemnon carpal tunnels.” Achilles grumbled.  
“Now you’re invoking muses, great. Wonderful. Now, go to sleep. I for one have rehearsal tomorrow.” Patroclus told him.


	2. Chapter 2

The next day, Agamemnon was more brutal than usual. He snapped at the brass section multiple times for lacking tone and the woodwinds got yelled at for missing notes. However, the rehearsal was bearable until it came time for Achilles’ solo.   
“Has anybody seen Achilles?” Agamemnon asked. All eyes turned to Patroclus.  
“Why are you looking at me?” He asked.  
“Because you two are practically married, dude.” Some snarky first violin yelled.   
“He was in my room last night,” he stuttered. A few people snickered.  
“And?” Agamemnon asked.   
“And that’s the end of it, he wasn’t there when I woke up.”  
“Oh poor, Patroclus,” A viola crowed. Everybody, including Agamemnon laughed. Patroclus shrugged his shoulders and tried to hide behind his cello. There were three more hours left of rehearsal.  
At the same time, the Student Athletic Committee had a meeting. Iris, a short girl with shimmery hair stood at the end of the table.   
“As, I’m sure you know, Achilles, the principal trumpet in the Anatolia Academy’s Symphonic Orchestra has dropped out.” she said.  
“The orchestra’s future rides on whether or not their next concert is successful.” She continued.  
“Why is that?” asked Hector, the captain of the fencing team.  
“Finding and paying for venues other than our own theater is very difficult.”  
“How does this benefit us?” asked Sarpedon, head of the archery division.  
“Well,” said Iris, tapping on her iPad, “Due to this school’s mandatory extra curricular programs that would be about a hundred and seventy more athletes to add to our teams and therefore-” She was interrupted by a phone that went off.  
“Really, Paris. Again?” Hector sighed.  
“Leave your brother to me,” Priam, the faculty advisor said.  
“Who are you texting?” Hector asked.  
“Oh, just Helen, the prettiest girl in the school.” Paris sighed dreamily.  
“You’re kidding me.” Hector was exasperated.  
“That’s Menelaus’s girlfriend. He is going to kill you.” Hector continued, looking at his brother.  
“The power of love will protect us,” Paris declared.  
“Help me!” Hector mouthed to the rest of the SAC but no one did anything.  
“This is hopeless.I’m leaving.” Hector announced.

Later that day, Achilles met Patroclus in the campus cafe. The sunlight reflected off his golden hair and there was a warm breeze in the air.  
“So, how was rehearsal?” Achilles asked.  
“Awful, everyone’s on to us.” Patroclus admitted.  
“How so?” Achilles asked.  
“They know we’re a couple and they laughed.” Patroclus shrunk back against his chair and folded his arms across his chest.  
“Who?” Achilles asked.  
“Everyone.”  
“Like, everyone- throw me a number here.”  
“Like literally everyone dude.”  
“We’re so out that we might as well be called the Great Outdoors.”  
“Glad to see you have a sense of humor about it.”  
“Might as well, considering the circumstances.”  
“Well, in any case, I’m going to get a peppermint mocha. Want anything?” Patroclus asked.   
"So, we're good now, right? You’re offering to buy me caffeine." Achilles said with a smirk.  
"Yes, we're good as long as you don't do anything stupid. Do you want the drink?" Patroclus's asked.  
“Yeah. Hot chocolate would be nice.”  
“I’ll be back. Probably.” He said with a small smile.  
Achilles basked in the warm sunlight for a while longer before things successfully went to hell. Achilles watched Paris being dragged across the courtyard by Menelaus, Agamemnon’s brother.  
“Let me go, man!” Paris shouted, as he tried to escape the towering red head’s grip on his ankle, his back dragging in the grass.  
“I never did anything to you!” Paris shouted.  
Menelaus yelled, “Why did you take Helen?”  
“I didn’t take her. She left with me.” Paris gasped as he felt mud in his hair.  
“You liar!” Menelaus said as he swung his fist at Paris who was laying in the grass. Paris threw his hands above his face.  
“Anything but the face!” He begged through his hands. Hector then arrived on the scene.  
“Not cool dude.” This was directed towards Menelaus.  
“Paris--you idiot.” He muttered at his brother, covered in mud and grass.  
He sighed and said,  
“You must forgive my brother, he really is that stupid. You can have you girlfriend back and we can all go on our merry way.”  
“But I love her.” Paris whined.  
“Right. Ignore him.” He instructed, as he turned toward Menelaus,  
“Is it a deal? We give Helen back and you don’t pound his face in.” Hector bargained.  
“Deal,” Menelaus said as he released Paris--who promptly ran behind his brother.  
“You’re pathetic,” Menelaus muttered under his breath.   
Achilles snickered. When the commotion died down, Patroclus returned to the bench with drinks in each hand.  
“That’s the third time this week.” He commented.  
“Really? I thought it was four.” Achilles laughed.  
“Whatever, it doesn’t concern us.” Patroclus waved it off.  
“Oh, it will.” Achilles remarked.   
“You can’t be serious.” His boyfriend said, looking at the scene of the brothers walking away.  
“I am. The athletic bastards want more people and more importantly more funding, and this is but another nail in our coffin.”  
“How?”  
“When the board hears that Menelaus hit the pretty boy, they’ll be on us immediately.”  
Patroclus sighed, “I thought I was supposed to be the logical one here.”  
“Oh, I’m good with numbers and logic. You’re good with emotions.” Achilles leaned forward and started to close his eyes. Patroclus only raised his eyebrows.  
“I’m not kissing you here in front of all these people.”  
“It was worth a shot.” Achilles sighed.  
“So, I suppose we should go to your dorm?”  
“Sounds like a plan.” The pair got up and prepared to leave, but not before they saw Agamemnon swaggering about, complimenting some of the members of the orchestra while everyone else watched confused. Achilles and Patroclus stood side by side.   
“And you two,” he said as he approached them.  
“I wish I could say something to you,” He sneered at Achilles, then turned his back to Patroclus.“But as for you, Patroclus, you had such a shaky tone--such a lack of passion- I don’t think I’ve ever heard anyone worse than you.”  
“Say that to his face,” Achilles growled.  
“What?” Agamemnon asked with an innocent tone in his voice.  
“Say that to his face, unless you don’t have to guts to face me at the same time.”  
“Don’t I?” He jeered.  
“Can we just go to the dorm now?” Patroclus asked.  
“It’s really not a big deal.” He continued, as he whispered into Achilles’ ear, wanting to leave.  
“In fact, I don’t even know if I’m going to be able to let you keep your solo spot on the final concert.” Agamemnon taunted.  
Tears started to form in the corners of Patroclus’s eyes- but he refused to let them show-  
“But, I’ve worked on that piece for months. Lalo has been my dream concerto since freshman year.” His voice was thick.  
“We all know that you have no right to do that! ”Achilles exclaimed.  
“Don’t I?”  
“No, you don’t,” Achilles said and he pushed Agamemnon out of their way. He fell on his back, and as Achilles and Patroclus were walking away they could hear him yelling.


	3. Chapter 3

Achilles and Patroclus hurried back to the dorms. Patroclus was still shaken up and he leaned on Achilles.Once they were safely in his room, he whispered,   
“He can’t do that, right? I’ve worked way too hard. He can’t just-” He had to stop to take a breath. His lower lip was trembling and he was visibly trying to hold back tears, and to somehow reign in his rage at Agamemnon. He closed his eyes and when he opened them, it was as if his face had turned to stone. Achilles had to think for a second before he touched him.  
“It’s okay,” He whispered into Patroclus’s ear. He sat near him. He didn’t know if a hug would set him off. The anger needed to burn off, it would in time.  
“It’s okay- he’s just a jealous piece of shit. Okay? I love you and I’m going to make sure you keep what it yours- you’ve worked too hard for it to go to someone else who won’t know it half as well as you do.” Achilles feared Patroclus’s wrath more than anything.  
He didn’t worry about Patroclus harming him, he never would, but he worried about finding a replacement for Agamemnon while he would be in a hospital. Or too embarrassed to face them with a black eye at the very least. Patroclus had always been a fighter first, human second. Achilles thought he was invincible.  
“Thank you,” Patroclus said through clenched teeth.  
“I love you too.” he echoed, after a few minutes of tense silence.   
“So enough of these sad things. How about something happy?” Achilles asked in an attempt to raise Patroclus’s spirit.  
“Like what?” His boyfriend asked, not unkindly.  
“Like your lips on mine.” Achilles suggested.  
His boyfriend sighed dramatically, as if weighed down by some great burden. It was a welcome break in the tension.  
“I’m not that bad of a kisser.” Achilles protested.   
“You need to work on better lines.” Patroclus said, moving his head closer to his boyfriend’s.  
“They work on you, don’t they?” Achilles asked before closing the distance.  
Their lips met, and Patroclus laced his hand through Achilles’ hair.   
“You’re so beautiful.” Achilles murmured into Patroclus’s hair.   
“How was I so lucky to have you love me back?  
“Maybe you have good luck from another life.” Suggested Achilles.  
“That, or we had such outrageously horrible luck that the universe felt pity.”  
“I like my theory better,” Patroclus told him.  
“So do I.” Achilles agreed. Achilles brushed his fingertips across Patroclus’s cheek. They were about to kiss again when there was a vicious series of knocks at the door.  
“What the hell do you want?” They shouted at the door.  
Briseis and Helen barged in with irritated looks on their faces  
“Menelaus and Paris were fighting over me, again.” Helen informed them.  
“And we want to know why didn’t you two do anything about it-!” Briseis said,  
“How were we supposed to know?” Achilles asked.  
“I sent you text message after text message,” Helen growled.   
Achilles pulled out his phone to find that those messages did, indeed, exist. He groaned.   
Patroclus sighed angrily and pushed Achilles away.  
“It’s not my fight,” Achilles shrugged.  
“Besides, I’m not doing anything that would make Aga-fucking-memnon’s life any easier.”  
“You asshole!” Briseis exclaimed.  
“It wouldn’t have helped Agamemnon- it would have helped me!” Helen screamed at them.  
“It’s always ‘Helen’s so pretty.’ ‘Have you seen that babe.’ ‘She must be such a good fucker.’ I’m fucking sick of it! All everyone talks about is how you three get to be the grand soloists. People never realize that I’m one too! I may win prizes- but I am not a prize to be won. Nobody’s prize, I’m no plaything and I’m certainly not someone’s fucking babe! I am a person and you should have helped me!” And with that, she stormed out of the room and Briseis beside her.  
“Protect her.” She said before she slammed the door.  
Patroclus glared at Achilles. There was a strained silence between them.  
“You cannot will not let Paris and Menelaus take advantage of her.”  
“She has Briseis at her side. Why does she need my help?” Achilles muttered.  
“I can’t believe you.” Patroclus fumed.   
“So I guess we’re done making out?” Achilles asked.  
“I can’t believe you!” Patroclus exclaimed again.   
“I’m going to go leave before I do something stupid.” Achilles told him.  
“Too late.”His boyfriend replied. His stony face returned.  
“Look, Patroclus, I can’t go off fighting everyone else’s battles for them.”  
“You fought mine.”  
“Yeah, but-”  
“How is that any different?”  
“It’s different because I love you!”  
Patroclus was stunned into silence.   
“Still, it is not right to let people suffer.” He said quietly.   
“It’s not like you’re doing anything about it,” Achilles sneered.   
“What can I do? I don’t have half as much influence as you do. To top it off, I’m on a scholarship so one wrong move and I will never be able to see you again!” Patroclus exclaimed.  
“You’re making excuses,” Achilles said.  
“And you’re not?” Patroclus scoffed.  
“I’m sorry.” Achilles said, and Patroclus couldn’t tell if it was genuine or not.   
“If it means that much to you, then I’ll look out for her.” Achilles sighed.  
“That is a pretty bad reason.” Patroclus informed him.  
“What’s a good reason?”  
“It is the right thing to do.”  
“If you think it is, then it must be true.”   
“Oh shit,” Patroclus said as he looked at his watch.  
“We have to go meet Agamemnon about solos.”  
“Now?” Achilles groaned.  
"Yeah, now." He sighed.


	4. Chapter 4

Agamemnon’s dorm was dark and dreary. Sheet music was scattered everywhere and the air reeked of ink and mildew. Helen and Briseis were already sitting in two grey chairs. Agamemnon sat on his bed and was crouched over a score for the Mercadante concerto.  
“What are you doing here?” Agamemnon asked Patroclus, who broadened his shoulders and took a deep breath.  
“I am playing the Lalo concerto.” He said imitating an air of confidence. He tried his best to keep his voice even.  
“According to who?” Agamemnon challenged.  
“According to us.” Helen snapped.   
“The entire orchestra has been practicing it for a month. It is unfair to throw away all our hard work.”  
“I don’t have to listen to any of you, so therefore Patroclus will not play his concerto.” Agamemnon smirked.  
Patroclus’s eyes lit with savage fury and Achilles wrapped an arm over his shoulder for Agamemnon's protection. Helen and Briseis looked at them.   
“Listen you dick- you can’t do that. We worked hard on that piece- all of us. And we’re going to play it. All of us. So you might want to reconsider- unless you want the entire orchestra to kick your sorry ass.” Brises threatened.  
“Forget the orchestra. If you don’t reconsider right now, I’ll break your nose.” Helen snarled.  
“With what? Flowers? Don’t make me laugh.” Agamemnon smirked. Helen glowered and made a move towards him. Briseis grabbed her wrist to stop her.  
“As much as I would love to see her beat the living shit out of you, back off, she’s given you plenty of time,” Briseis warned.  
“I’d love to see her try.” Agamemnon laughed again.  
Helen furrowed her eyebrows and without a second’s hesitation she slammed her fist into his nose. Agamemnon held his hands to his face and groaned, the blood rushing through his fingers and dripping onto the floor.  
“Do you need any further convincing, because I would be happy to give you a more extensive explanation.” Achilles   
Agamemnon said nothing, just held his nose and they all watched the blood escaping his hand for a moment.  
“I’ll take that as a no.” Achilles decided.  
Helen took Agamemnon by the chin, pushed his hands out of the way, and whispered,   
“We play the Lalo.”   
“I do believe we are done here.” said Achilles as he took Patroclus by his hand and lead him out the door.  
“Oh and by the way- you should probably get that checked out.” Bresis advised Agamenon as she and Helen left the room.  
“See, I told you it would be okay.” Achilles said.  
“I was that close to losing everything I worked for.” Patroclus glowered and his face, once again was set in marble.  
I would never let that happen, regardless of what that dick tries to do.” He continued.  
“Thank you,” Patroclus said coldly.  
“You know rehearsal is going to be hell tomorrow. I don’t want it to make you too upset.” Achilles warned.  
“I know.” There was a pause.   
“It is getting late, and Antilochus will be worried if I don’t go back to the dorms soon and Diomedes will worry if you don’t show up for two nights in a row.” Patroclus said his icy facade melting.  
“I'll text him”   
“Are you sure?”  
“I am positive. I can also text Antilochus.” Achilles said.  
"Sounds like a plan."  
So, with Achilles’ hand entwined with his own, Patroclus returned to his dorm. Antilochus was not yet back from whatever teaching related appointment he had. Patroclus flopped onto his bed and sighed.  
“I’m afraid of what tomorrow brings.” He admitted, looking at the ceiling.   
“Fear not, my sweet Patroclus, there is not a person in the world who could harm you. Not with me around, at least.”   
“Who knew you could be romantic?”   
“You told me to work on my lines.”  
“You’re sweet.” Patroclus said as he smiled for the first time that night.  
“You don’t have to just stand there awkwardly.” He commented as Achilles shifted his weight from one foot to another.  
“Come, sit with me.”  
Patroclus moved so he could give Achilles enough room. His fluffy, green comforter puffed up around them. The room smelled of rosin and vanilla.  
“So,” Achilles began as he propped his head up on his hand.  
“Do you have any plans for spring break?”  
Patroclus laughed.  
“My father will go back to Turkey so he can visit family and I’m supposed to go with him, but I don’t think I am.”  
“Why not?” Achilles asked him.  
“Because he’s a jerk and airports and plane rides make me anxious.”  
“Oh.” Achilles said as he started to play with Patroclus’s hair.  
“Plus, I have plans and they don’t involve being half a world away from you.”  
Achilles pressed a kiss on Patroclus’s forehead.   
“I hope this never ends.” He murmured. He sighed as he draped his arm over Patroclus's waist.   
“Sleep, you have a big day tomorrow.” After they brushed their teeth, Achilles kissed Patroclus's forehead one last time before he fell asleep.  
That night Achilles did not fall asleep until four a.m. He spent his night texting all the members of the orchestra and telling them of Agamemnon’s wrongs. Everyone was extremely upset. Achilles tried hard not to disturb his sleeping boyfriend. When he was finished the orchestra had been successfully called to arms and he could not wait to see Agamemnon’s face he next day.


	5. Chapter 5

The next morning, the two musicians were woken by violent knocking and yelling and then heard the door unlock.  
Achilles swore.  
“You idiots!” yelled Briseis, the first person to enter the room.  
“Agamemnon is going to kill you two.” Antilochus added.  
“We were waiting for you and you didn’t show up!” Diomedes snapped at the pair, who sat up.  
“We were worried.” said Helen quietly, concern showing on her pretty face.  
“What is going on?” Achilles asked groggily as the group stood in the room.  
“It’s freaking noon, dude!” Diomedes exclaimed  
”We’ve been out of rehearsal for half an hour. Also, Agamemnon’s pissed because some freaking flautist told him about the plan.” Antilochus explained.  
“And what’s worse, the SAC was there and saw the whole debacle.” Briseis interjected. Patroclus’s eyes widened.  
“The SAC? They’ll tell the board for sure.” He realized aloud.  
“We need a plan to protect the orchestra. There is no way, we are going to lose it to a bunch of of little upstarts rallying for funds!” Helen exclaimed  
“We’ll need to bend to Agamemnon’s will for a little while.” Briseis sighed angrily.  
“What if he decides to take away Patroclus’s concerto again?” Achilles asked.  
“Then I hit him again and we’ll see how much he likes his nose being broken.” Helen proposed.  
“Seriously though--We need a way to protect our rights as musicians and still make it seem as if everything’s okay.”Antilochus said.  
“Maybe we try to recruit Agamemnon to our cause.” Patroclus suggested.  
“This is his life too. If we go down then he goes down with us.” Helen remarked.  
“After all he’s done to us? Are you sure?” Achilles asked  
“A meeting with SAC would also be in order to see if there’s any compromise we can make.” Diomedes decided.  
“So it’s a plan, we talk to Agamemnon and then to the SAC and we see how things turn out.” Bresis confirmed.  
“Sounds good.” Antilochus said. The group of musicians left the room and Achilles and Patroclus were left alone once more.  
“There is one more topic that we have yet to discuss.” Patroclus hinted.  
“And what would that be?”  
“When are you coming back to rehearsal?”  
“Agamemnon wounded my honor. I must exact revenge.”  
“Chill out, Inigo.That’s not how any of this works.” Patroclus sighed as dramatically as his boyfriend acted.  
“My name is Achilles Peliades, you wounded my honor, prepare to die.” Achilles mimicked in a terrible accent.  
“You’re a dork, you know that?” Patroclus joked.  
“Ah, yes, but I’m your dork.” Achilles declared.  
“Rehearsal?” Patroclus turned serious for a moment, his eyes hard as he looked at his boyfriend.  
“If Agamemnon seeks me out and apologizes then I will return.”  
“I’m not exactly happy, but that’s good enough.” Patroclus decided.  
“You are too good to me.”  
“Don’t forget it.” Patroclus warned  
For the rest of the day, the pair hung around campus. Preparations were being made for spring break. Reckless freshmen were preparing booze-filled end of quarter parties and Seniors were working on their end of term projects. Two Biology majors were reading their textbooks upside down and no one bothered to point it out to them. Everyone was slightly confused and sleep deprived. The campus store was selling varsity jackets and sweaters.  
“Too bad there isn’t an orchestra jacket.” Patroclus sighed.  
“That would be great.” Achilles made a mental note to buy one and have Diomedes fix it. He was good with needles. As the sun set, they returned to the dorms.   
It was Achilles’ dorm this time. Diomedes was knitting on his bed.  
“I need to leave in five minutes.” He informed Achilles.  
“I thought you had a date with Odysseus?” Achilles asked.  
“He had to cancel, something about an embassy. I don’t really know.”  
“That sucks man. We can leave if you want.” Patroclus offered. Then, something dawned on him.  
“Doesn’t Odysseus have a girlfriend?”  
“Yeah, Penelope, or something, from Ithaca.” Achilles added.  
“He’s not so good on the whole fidelity thing,” Diomedes said.  
“Well, anyway, we can leave if you want,” Achilles said.  
“No, it’s no problem. I might as well get going anyway.” Diomedes smiled at them before he said,  
“You two lovebirds have fun.”   
Achilles glared at Diomedes.   
“Really?” he asked irritated, but Diomedes only smiled.  
“You think we’re going to…” Patroclus stammered but Diomedes had already left.  
“He thought we were going to,” Patroclus kept stammering and he hid his face in his hands. Achilles walked to the other side of the room and grabbed his lyre.   
“You are too cute when you’re embarrassed.” He said as he pucked gently at the little harp.   
“I prefer this to the trumpet,” He mused.   
“It’s lovely and the trumpet- it is so brash and harsh.” Achilles sighed. He began to pluck a sweet little melody. It rang throughout the tiny room and it tolled delightfully.  
“It sounds like you are playing with strings of starlight.” Patroclus whispered dreamily. He was about to lean in to kiss his boyfriend.  
Odysseus burst into the room.  
“Have you ever heard of knocking?” Achilles complained.  
“Sorry.” Odysseus said, not sounding sorry at all.  
“This is important. Agamemnon formally apologizes.”  
“Then where is he?” Achilles asked.  
“He didn’t want to come.”  
“Coward,” Patroclus huffed.   
“Well, we all know that this is accomplishing absolutely nothing. So, why don’t you leave and take our response back to Agamemnon and we’ll see what happens.” Patroclus said.  
“He’s not going to be happy.” Odysseus stated the obvious.  
“He at least owes us an apology. That’s all I want.” Achilles told him.  
“Sounds reasonable, too bad Agamemnon isn’t.” Odysseus muttered under his breath.  
“I must be off, I need to find Diomedes.” He continued.  
“He just left, if that helps anything” Patroclus supplied.  
“Thanks.” Odysseus replied and he left.   
“Well, now that he’s gone shall we continue?” Achilles asked hopefully.  
“That sounds wonderful,” Patroclus responded. The shorter boy wrapped his arms around Achilles’ neck. Their foreheads were pressed together before Achilles finally kissed him. Achilles wrapped his arms around Patroclus’s waist.  
“You’re so beautiful, I wish I could stay here with you forever,” Achilles sighed.  
“I feel the same,” whispered Patroclus into Achilles’ ear.   
“Take my ring,” Achilles said as he unclasped the thin silver chain around his neck. It was a silver ring and engraved upon it were seven stars set with little garnet stones.   
“Is this an engagement?” Patroclus asked, almost alarmed.  
“Not quite. Not yet,” Achilles smiled. He was about to kiss him again but Patroclus’s phone rang.


	6. Chapter 6

“Really?” Achilles asked the room.  
“It’s Menestheus.” His boyfriend told him.  
“I have no clue who that is.” Achilles informed him.  
“Just give me a second.” He requested.   
“Hey.” Patroclus said to Menestheus on the other end.  
“You have a car, right?” He asked.   
“Yeah, man, why?” Patroclus asked.   
“Eurypylus was shot on the archery range.”  
“With an arrow?” Patroclus gasped.  
“No, with kumquat.” He said sarcastically.. Patroclus sighed.   
“Yes, with an arrow.” Menestheus yelled.  
“Call an ambulance right now. I’ll pick you up. Bye.” Patroclus said. He got Menestheus from the archery range. Thankfully, the ambulance already got Eurypylus. The pair drove to the hospital in tense silence.  
Nestor was already there. As they were not related to Eurypylus, they were not allowed to see him.  
“This will spark even more conflict between the SAC and the orchestra,” muttered Nestor   
“Is that really what you care about right now?”Patroclus asked icily.  
“Well, we’re about to go have a peace conference and one of their members shoots one of ours. It’s not exactly good for peace.”  
“How did we even get started with this?” Patroclus sighed .  
“Man, there was this party and there was this apple and three really hot chicks and Paris gave the apple to the hottest chick and she told him to screw Helen and here we are.”  
“You disgust me,” Patroclus sighed.  
“Dude, we were so drunk.”  
“Does it look like we care?” Menestheus asked dryly.  
“We’re kind of worried about our friend with a fucking arrow in his knee.” Patroclus snapped.  
“He got married?”  
“He might be civil enough to not punch you in the face if you say another word,” Menestheus said, and gestured to Patroclus before he continued,  
“But I’m not. So lay off.”  
Nestor completely ignored him.   
“Achilles won’t go to the meeting--but you can.” He pointed out.  
“I’m not interested in your games.” Patroclus glared at him as he said it.  
“Really? Achilles won’t go because of Agamemnon and the SAC want to talk with him the most. You are our most direct link to Achilles. You go and we might as well have him.” Nestor told him flatly.  
“Do you really think so?” Patroclus asked.   
“Yes.” Nestor confirmed.  
“You’re not honestly going to believe this guy?” Menestheus asked them.  
“He might be right.” Patroclus said.  
A nurse walked into the waiting room. They looked at her, expecting to hear news of their friend with a literal arrow to the knee but, she said nothing to them and instead whispered to the receptionist.  
“The doctor would like to speak to you,” She told them. Patroclus and Menestheus glanced anxiously at each other.  
“Nothing too serious, boys, we just want to know how your friend got an arrow in his knee. We’re worried he may not be ambulatory after this.” The doctor said as they walked into his office in a group.  
Menestheus and Nestor stared at Patroclus.   
“Why are you looking at me?” he asked.   
The doctor took off his glasses, “Were you the one to do this?”  
“What? No, I was only there to give a ride.”  
“He’s right.” Menestheus sighed.  
“This guy at our school was out on the archery range and he was just shot him, with no warning or anything.” Menestheus said.  
“And what was this guy’s name?” Asked the doctor.  
“Sarpedon.” he answered  
“I see. Well, as far as I know, that’s illegal. You should probably report him to the police.”  
“I’ll deal with it,” Patroclus assured him.  
“Will Eurypylus be okay?” Nestor asked.  
“He will most likely need an amputation, prosthetic, and a lot of PT and he is in a good bout of shock. He will survive, however, and that is what’s important.”  
“Can we go see him, at least?” Menestheus asked.  
“The best thing to do is go home and wait.” the doctor said.  
“Thank you.” Patroclus whispered to the doctor, who only nodded.  
The drive back to the dorms was painful and silent. Patroclus still fought back angry tears with all his might and the other two were pretending not to notice. As soon as they arrived back on campus, Patroclus ran to Achilles’s dorm. By that time his will was broken and he was sobbing.  
Achilles clutched his crying boyfriend and dried his cheeks with his shirtsleeve.  
“It’s going to be okay,” he whispered into Patroclus’s ear. Patroclus only shook his head.  
“No. It isn’t. He’ll get better- maybe- but it won’t be okay. None of this shit is okay- he got shot and won’t walk again with that leg ever again. He will need to get it cut off.”  
Achilles pressed small kisses on the top of Patroclus’s head but, he pushed him away.  
“Why don’t you care about this, any if this? Eurypylus, the orchestra, any of it.” His anger that he had pushed down had bubbled out.  
“I care about it.” Achilles said softly. Patroclus pulled away from him.  
“If you cared about it then you would come to rehearsal! Then you would come with me with our friend has been fucking shot. Show some form of emotion about any of this shit that’s going on!” He roared.  
“Patroclus, I don’t know what to say.”   
“You’re damn right you don’t. You won’t even go to that meeting- even though it’s important!” Patroclus yelled.  
“Patroclus, my honor-”  
“Fuck you and your honor! I hope I never turn out like you and have such petty temper tantrums- you’re twenty-two, God damn it- get a hold of yourself.”  
Achilles said nothing. Patroclus paced the room and ran his fingers through his hair.  
“Let me go to the meeting, at least.” Patroclus bargained.  
“You act as if I could have stopped you.” Achilles’s voice was a bit cold. He paused.  
“At least, come back here when you’re done. I want to make it up to you.” Achilles murmured, and his voice was warmer that time.  
“Thank you,” Patroclus said through gritted teeth.  
“When does the meeting start?” Patroclus asked, as an after thought.  
“About five minutes ago.” Achilles replied  
“Shit, I’ve got to go. I’m so not through with you though- you’re still in deep shit with me.” Patroclus warned as he slammed the door.  
“I wish it were only us.” Achilles whispered to himself.  
“I wish it were only us that had to take on those bastards. We could tear them down one by one. Just me and him.”


	7. Chapter 7

The meeting between the SAC and the members of the orchestra had not actually started when Patroclus arrived Menelaus, Antilochus, Helen, and Briseis sat on one side of a long table and Hector, Paris, Sarpedon, and Euphorbus sat on the other.  
“So Agamemnon couldn’t even be bothered to show up?” Patroclus whispered to Antilochus.  
“Yeah, an Hector’s pretty pissed about the situation with Achilles too.”  
“Now,” Patroclus said to Hector, “There has got to be some common ground for us to reach here.”  
“We want your funding and Helen back- nothing more.” Hector’s voice was flat.  
“Helen is a living breathing person with her own voice- who by the way- wants nothing to do with you or Paris.” Briseis growled.  
“She has the right to do whatever she wants and you have no say in her life. Fuck you. She’s a person. Not a possession that Paris stole!” Patroclus yelled.  
“Says the boy from Turkey,” Sarpedon sneered.  
“You just crossed the fucking line.” Briseis warned.  
“Great, just great!” Patroclus was exasperated.   
“Not only are you a piece of contrived, sexist shit, but you’re also racist.” He slammed his hands on the table, ignoring the minor pain that resulted.   
“As if you’re any better!” Sarpedon yelled.  
“At least I don’t shoot defenseless kids in their kneecaps!” Patroclus retorted. At once--Sarpedon stormed over to Patroclus and grabbed his wrists. Patroclus broke out of his grip. And Helen and Briseis had never seen his eyes so cold.  
“You should watch your mouth or I’ll put an arrow somewhere far more sensitive.” He taunted.  
“We wouldn’t want anything to happen, now, would we?” He continued, as Patroclus turned more inhuman looking to the girls. They didn’t see humanity in his face.  
“Too late,” Patroclus spat. He slammed his knee into Sarpedon’s crotch and he ran away as the boy crumpled to the ground.  
“You bastard!” He swore under his breath. Patroclus made a mental note to call the police when they were done here.  
Hector jumped out of his seat.   
“What did you do to him?” He yelled at Patroclus, who gave him a frosty grin.  
“You saw it happen.” Helen retorted.   
“The traitor bitch speaks.” Hector muttered. Helen tried to kick him but he moved to the other side of the table.  
Briseis took out her phone and started to record as she saw Euphorbus move out of his seat.   
Euphorbus came forward and grabbed Patroclus by his shoulders and shook him for a moment before Patroclus broke his grip and shoved him into the table, with a loud thud. He looked at him expectantly, his face a challenge. Euphorbus charged forward, and Patroclus merely sidestepped and sighed, as if bored. When he moved towards him again, he ran right into Patroclus’s fist. Blood gushed from Euphorbus’s nose and Patroclus hit him again. And again. And again, and he fell to the floor, and scrambled on the floor with his hands and knees.  
“Pat-” Helen tried to say and Hector covered her mouth. She bit his hand and elbowed him in the face. He swore and tried to swing at her and she shoved him forward, and he fell backwards against the table, where his head hit first. She spat, tasting Hector’s blood in her mouth. He staggered towards Patroclus and by pure luck, put his hand against his head and shoved. Hard. He stumbled down with Patroclus, missing the table.   
Patroclus did not. And Helen screamed when she saw the blood on the table. She clumsily moved towards him, stepping on Hector.  
“Patroclus?” She didn’t touch him, in case she made something worse, and he didn’t respond. Bresis stopped Sarpedon from leaving, and decked him in the face.  
He fell back and Helen sent her a panicked look as Hector moved towards her.  
“Not a single inch.” Briseis warned and showed him her phone, currently dialing 911.  
Unseen by Briseis and Helen, he slipped his fingers around something on the floor and put it in his pocket.  
“Enough!” Menelaus declared. He grabbed Hector by his hair and he pulled him away from Patroclus’s body.   
“Helen, help me,” Menelaus requested. She nodded, and checked for a pulse. When she confirmed he was breathing, Menelaus took over.  
With Menelaus bent over Patroclus’s body, Helen turned to Hector.  
Helen slammed a calculated fist into Hector’s jaw without a second’s hesitation. He doubled over and held his face with his hands.  
“Do you need any more proof that I’m human?” She spat.  
“You are nothing but a violent, vengeful little bitch.” Sarpedon screamed at her.  
Helen punched his nose and he stopped talking then, Helen stalked over to Paris.   
“Please, Don’t hurt my face.” Pitiful tears bubbled in his eyes.  
“Is that the only fucking thing you care about?” Helen glowered.   
“I went with you because I thought you were kind and just. I thought we could be good together- and this is how you act: Like, I’m not a person. You asshole.” she whispered before she gave Paris a black eye and he began to cry as the cops entered the room.


	8. Chapter 8

Antilochus had found his way to Achilles’s door. He paused before he knocked. Achilles was known to kill the messengers.  
“Hello, Antilochus,” Achilles said, his tone equally pleasant as it was cautious as he entered the room.  
“Patroclus-” He began. Achilles looked at him intently.  
“What about the love of my life? Did he kick ass at the meeting?” He asked, smiling and happy, curious and full of light. Light he was about to extinguish. He swallowed, although it didn’t help the lump in his throat.  
“Um, there was an incident at the meeting and someone may or may not have hurt Patroclus and Patroclus is on his way to the hospital right now-”  
And those soft eyes turned hard and full of fire- and he thought he saw his own death in them- and he had forgotten how hard and angry Achilles could be- he supposed being happy with Patroclus had made him forget that about him-  
“He’s still alive, I think-” Antilochus supplied.  
“You think?” Achilles roared and Antilochus wanted to run, but he knew Achilles would catch up to him if he did--  
“There was an awful lot of blood.” He blurted.  
“Take me to Patroclus,” He demanded. The fire was now a cold burn. He had never seen Achilles so cold and emotionless before. There was magma under the ice, however. Antilochus had never seen a more dangerous bomb of a person before. He just hoped he wasn’t there when Achilles went off. But he had to say it--  
“Don’t you want to see Hector first? He uh-- he did it.” Antilochus supplied timidly.  
“Hector will live for the moment. Patroclus needs me and I need to see him. Now.” Achilles commanded, and Antilochus could suddenly imagine Achilles commanding armies at his command-- in charge of death of his enemies. Achilles was a good person, from what he knew, he loved Patroclus deeply, but he was also a very strong dude. So was his boyfriend-- but Achilles was hulking and massive and he was sure Achilles would not fight but battle. He’d raze anything in his path if his fury was truly unleashed.  
“Come on, let’s go to the car,” Antilochus said, and they did.  
“He was going to play Lalo after the break,” Achilles informed him. His voice was void of emotion.  
“We had finally gotten Agamemnon to agree.” He stated, supplying Antilochus with common knowledge.  
“I know, man, I know.” Antilochus was at a loss for words.  
The drive to the hospital was spent in silence. Achilles had his knees were pulled to his chest and his arms were wrapped around his knees.  
“Hey, if we crash and you’re sitting like that then you’ll probably die.” Antilochus remarked, cautiously.  
Achilles muttered something under his breath that Antilochus didn’t quite catch.  
Once they arrived at the hospital they were forced, despite Achilles’ best attempts to the contrary, to sit in the waiting room with everyone else. Achilles’ pulled out his phone and listened to music to try and pass the time. “I Will Follow You into the Dark” started playing and Achilles looked angry. Antilochus couldn’t have the ice melt now. He needed a cold Achilles. He didn’t want to be in the way when the magma burst out--especially not at a hospital.  
“You need to calm down.” Antilochus told him. He tried to make his voice hard and authoritative.  
“This is as calm as I am going to get. Deal with it.” Achilles muttered darkly.  
The receptionist called their names.  
“You are not related to Patroclus Menotiades, correct?”  
“Correct,” Achilles said under his breath  
“Well, seeing as you are the only people here who wish to see him, I supposed the doctor won’t mind letting you see him.” She said, wondering how the angry boy knew the patient.  
A nurse led them down a hallway and into Patroclus’s room. Achilles couldn’t yet bring himself to actually look at the bed.  
“What about Briseis and Helen?” Achilles asked, giving about half of a fuck about them at the moment.  
“I got a text from them. They’re on their way.” Antilochus said.  
“Boys, you’re friend is in somewhat of a critical condition.” The doctor explained.  
Achilles looked pissed.  
“He lost quite a bit of blood with that traumatic blow to his head.” The doctor told them, wondering if he’d need to sedate the angry looking athletic looking boy.  
“Your friend has gone into a coma. We don’t know how long it will last and we don’t know if he will wake up at all.” He was blunt.  
Achilles gasped when he finally looked at his boyfriend. Patroclus was lying motionless on his bed. There were bandages wrapped around his head and chest- and he had never looked so human to him before.  
“Hector will pay for this.” Achilles swore under his breath. Vengeance- would come. And it would be painful- and he would take satisfaction in it- they had hurt Patroclus. Achilles wanted to break Hector’s jaw at that moment.  
“Patroclus will make it. He’s strong.” Antilochus attempted to be comforting to the icy volcano of a man, who didn’t respond.  
“I’ll be back after I do my rounds. By then, the hospital’s visiting hours will come to a close.” The doctor informed them  
Achilles pulled a chair up to Patroclus as close as he could and noted all of the IV’s and wires coming on and in him. He noticed his ring was missing and made a mental note to find it-- perhaps it fell off during the fight. A thought hit Achilles and escaped out of his mouth.  
“What if this is the last time I ever get to see him?” His throat felt like it was beginning to close up--  
“We’ll come back tomorrow,” Antilochus assured him before continuing his train of thought.  
“But for now, we need to go back to the dorms. It’s getting late.”  
“What about Patroclus?” Achilles asked.  
“There is nothing you can do right now. Don’t beat yourself up.” Antilochus urged.  
“I won’t, but I have plans for Hector.” Achilles muttered.  
“That’s the Achilles I know. Just let me know before that happens, okay? I want to be as far away as possible.” Antilochus told him honestly.  
“But you should wait until we talk to Briseis. Unless you want to end up in prison or with two pissed off women after you.” Antilochus reasoned.  
Achilles gave him a tired nod.


	9. Chapter 9a

Once they returned to the dorms they ran into Helen and Briseis.  
“Where were you guys?” Antilochus asked, worried about Achilles having a lack of filter and and an excess of anger he knew the other man would need to work out.   
“I thought you texted him saying you were on your way to the hospital?” Achilles asked Briseis.  
“If you were coming, you should have come and if you weren’t, you should have let us know.” Antilochus said.  
“We were stopped by some professor who heard the fight.” Briseis explained.  
“And he didn’t try to stop it?” asked Achilles.  
“No.” Helen said, sensing Achilles’s irritation.   
She wasn’t in the mood to deal with a pissed off Achilles. She wanted to sleep and was too tired to give a shit if Briseis saw her as weak for it. She had two bruised and aching hands and fuck her healthy diet. She wanted pizza and extra cheesy garlic bread from Hestia’s pizza, delivery charges be damned. She would drink some soda from the fridge and eat what she wanted more than sleep. Her makeup was probably ruined and she just wanted to take it off and enjoy pizza and deal with the world. Just not today. Tomorrow.   
Tomorrow, she would deal with the fact that Briseis didn’t seem to like her, and that Paris and Menelaus didn’t care about her and that they saw her as a breathing trophy and she wanted to scrub her lips off and destroy all memory that she had ever let either of them kiss her. She hadn’t spent too much time on herself lately. Tonight was that night. Tomorrow she’d worry about Patroclus, who she considered a friend, but she was too exhausted to focus on anyone but herself. She almost considered drinking, but she didn’t need the hangover or the gods forbid-- getting buzzed and spilling to Briseis that she liked her and--no. That would be a disaster. She needed her wits about her, living with Briseis.  
She snapped back into the conversation when she felt something touch her foot. Briseis’s foot. She looked-- no she didn’t. Helen almost thought she looked concerned.  
“Did you at least show him the footage?” Antilochus asked.  
“No, we had a feeling that Achilles would want to exact revenge or something before we revealed them.” Helen said, attempting to keep up with the conversation.   
“You know me so well.” said Achilles, with a genuine smile.  
“All right, I’ll see you two tomorrow.” Antilochus said, carefully and Achilles seemed distracted for a moment, so he guided them all to Achilles’s room   
Achilles, Helen, Briseis walked back to his dorm. He opened the door and they saw Diomedes was sitting on his bed and reading a book for his British Literature class. When he saw Achilles at the door he stopped. Diomedes nodded slightly as he asked Achilles,   
“Are you okay, man?”   
Even though they all knew the answer, a solid and resounding no, he wanted to hear his roommate’s response.   
“I’m fine.” Achilles said, denial evident in his voice.   
Suddenly his phone rang. When Achilles saw who was calling, even he went pale.  
“It’s Patroclus’s father.” Achilles stated.  
“Answer it.” Briseis hissed.  
“But what if he’s-”  
“Answer your fucking phone.” Helen/Briseis snapped.  
Achilles answered his phone expecting to be greeted with the harsh yelling and poorly veiled insults that were typical of Patroclus’s father.  
“Hello Mr. Menotiades.” Achilles greeted, trying to sound not as if he were about to scream.   
“Hello, how are classes going? Are they going well?” Mr. Menotiades asked.  
“Classes are fine.” Achilles said slowly.  
“Is there anything else you want to hear about?” The college student asked cautiously.  
“I heard of an accident with Patroclus, but I’m sure he’s doing fine.” Patroclus’s father sounded unconcerned.  
“There are a lot of hospital bills that need to be covered.” Achilles said, in the same, slow, patient tone.  
“Of course, of course. We’ll cover them, but once he gets on his feet, he’s back to where we stood before.”   
“Is everything okay?” Achilles was worried that he was missing something.  
“Yes, I must be going.” Mr. Menotiades said abruptly.   
“Thank you, goodbye,” Achilles said, then he saw the call had already been ended.   
“Is everything cleared up with his parents?” Helen asked.  
“His father wasn’t even phased by the fact that his son is in a coma in a hospital,” Achilles said, in disbelief anyone could ever be so cold about their child, let alone Patroclus.  
“It’s like he wasn’t even upset at all,” Achilles was disgruntled.   
“Are they going to pay for all of the hospital stuff?” Briseis asked.  
“Yes, at least they’re good for something.” Achilles retorted.  
“Those fucking rich people,” Briseis muttered to herself. Achilles raised an eyebrow.  
“You don’t know the half of it,” she hissed.   
Helen sat on the edge of Achilles’ bed. Briseis started to rummage through her bag in order to find the forms. She ignored her stomach’s protests.  
“So, What’s the plan for vengeance?” Helen asked, hoping they didn’t spend more than a few minutes scheming.  
“Well, we need to make sure Achilles doesn’t end up in jail and Hector does.” Briseis stated the obvious.  
“In order for a person to be found guilty of attempted murder the government must prove: First, acting deliberately and intentionally or recklessly with extreme disregard for human life, the person attempted to kill someone; and the person did something that was a substantial step toward committing the crime.” Helen read aloud from a paper Briseis handed her.  
“Do you think what Hector did really qualifies as an attempt at murder?” Achilles asked.  
“Do you want to see the footage?” asked Helen, unsure if she could even watch it herself. Experiencing it first hand had been enough.  
“It was pretty clearly an act to end his life. I’m sorry Achilles.” Briseis said bluntly, but not unkindly.  
“What if his father tries to bail him out?” Achilles asked. Hector’s father had money- and they all knew it wasn’t really an object- fifty grand was probably pocket money. Achilles groaned, frustrated.  
“Then you’ll just get to beat him up sooner.” Helen said, trying to hide her irritation. Achilles wasn’t the only one frustrated.  
“How do we go about doing that without making anyone suspicious?” Diomedes asked.  
“I’ve found that Hector often goes to the observatory at night. A fall from the top of the observatory would theoretically not kill him as it’s only two stories tall. So, my plan is that Achilles do all of his vengeance related business while he’s at the observatory then we knock him unconscious, if Achilles hasn’t done that already, and move him to the bushes so it looks like he fell.” Briseis explained.  
“What if someone catches us or he screams?” asked Diomedes   
“He wouldn’t find it manly to scream.” Helen told them, she had dealt with Hector enough to know that.  
“Don’t be so sure.” Achilles remarked.  
“Oh, I almost forgot to tell you guys--I’ve been collecting blackmail.” Briseis said.  
In a moment of silence, everybody stared at her, in different levels of awe and disbelief.  
“What blackmail could you possibly get on wonder boy?” Achilles asked.  
“Well, let’s see, we have the footage, obviously. He wouldn’t like that to be seen by the rest of the school. He has a son and even though he does care for him, I doubt he wants the school knowing that he pays child support and he cheated on most of finals his last year. Which is enough to get him kicked out, by the way.”  
“So the golden boy isn’t so golden after all.” Achilles laughed, but it was hollow, and everyone else pretended that they didn’t notice it.  
“Even still, he’s still more honorable than the likes of us,” Diomedes said.  
“How so?” Achilles asked through gritted teeth, Helen was too tired to move, if Diomedes wanted to poke the magnificently-pissed-off-and-itching-for-a-fight-Achilles, he could take his own knocked out ass to the hospital. She wanted to go back to the apartment with Briseis. She didn’t know Briseis was thinking the same thing as she was.  
“Look at all this blackmail and plotting that we’re doing-- at least he had the decency to just do it and that was that.” Diomedes sad. Helen sighed, and Briseis lifted her tired head to see if Achilles was going to punch him or not.  
“You know what I say to that?” Achilles asked him, and they could all see the angry energy radiating off him.  
“No, what?” Diomedes inquired.  
“Fuck that. This is revenge.” Achilles stated simply.  
“Agreed.” Helen said, still daydreaming of the pizza in her near future.  
“All this being said, you will leave the revenge part to Achilles and the making it look like an accident part to me. The less people we get involved with the actual act of revenge the better.” Briseis instructed.  
“I agree.” Diomedes said.  
“I don’t want anyone to touch Hector but me,” Achilles declared.  
“Give him the message for from the rest of us, though.” Helen added, thinking of garlic bread and revenge.  
“We don’t take kindly to assholes hurting our friends.” Briseis smiled but then it faltered.  
“We do have one problem.” She told them.  
“What?” Achilles groaned. Helen did too, mentally.  
“Patroclus fought hard, maybe too hard for the law’s liking,”  
“And there is way for you to fix that, right?” He asked, and Briseis sighed.  
“Of course, it is just time consuming and difficult.” She replied.  
“Do it,” Achilles demanded.  
“Alright.” Briseis sighed, too tired to fight with him on his tone of voice.   
“I’ll have it done by tomorrow, probably.” She yawned.  
“So, tomorrow Briseis, Helen, and I will go to the police with the edited footage. We’ll go from there. Sound good?” Diomedes asked.  
“Sounds good.” Achilles confirmed.  
“Hey, we should get going.” Briseis said, hearing Helen’s stomach rumble. She wasn’t sure if Achilles or Antilochus heard it, but she wanted a reason to leave.  
“Goodnight.” Helen said as they walked out of the door.  
“And may tomorrow be better than today.” Briseis added.


	10. Chapter 9b

“Thanks.” Helen said, as they walked tiredly back to their apartment. Bresis thought her feet were going to fall off  
“No problem. I’m starving. Any ideas on food?” Briseis asked.  
“I’m ordering a cheese pizza and extra cheesy garlic bread from Hestia’s. Want anything?” Helen asked as she pulled out her phone.  
“Another pizza with olives and cheesy garlic bread too please.” Briseis requested.  
“Okay.” Helen agreed and dialed the number as they walked.  
She ordered the food with a cheerful voice, and gave their address. Briseis noted the tiredness in Helen’s face as she put her phone in her pocket. She looked away before Helen noticed her staring. They walked for a few more minutes until they reached their front door.  
Briseis unlocked the it, and Helen almost immediately took off her shoes,  
Helen got out money for the delivery person and handed it to Bresis, and she crawled onto the couch.She was out before her head hit the throw pillow, she didn’t even have the the blanket over her as she slept.  
Briseis wondered if the day would ever end and looked at her phone until there was a knock on the door.  
“Just a minute!” She called, and cleared space on their counter and thought of the girl on the couch.  
She liked Helen, but why did the gods make her the prettiest girl she had ever seen--and heterosexual? She yanked the blanket over her roommate and opened the door with the money in hand.  
It was a cute delivery girl, a cute blonde with her hair in a ponytail. She grinned when she saw Bresis. She was interested in her. But-- she wasn’t the girl Briseis had a crush on. Why couldn’t the gods have made her fall in love with someone who wanted her back? Or at the very least, be aware and crush her heart already so she could move on? She could possibly date the delivery girl.  
Or almost any other girl. Except her straighter than a stationary arrow roommate.  
She handed the pretty delivery girl the money, and she handed her the four boxes, and Bresis shut the door. She set the food on the counter, and looked at the sleeping girl who she was in love with. She opened the box that was marked for olives, and took a plate out of the cabinet. She neatly placed two pieces of pizza and shoved a piece of garlic bread onto the plate.  
It had to have been fate, perhaps, that her pretty roommate had accepted her application, before looking at anyone else’s, months ago. She could have lived in one of the dorms, with a normal, drama free roommate, she supposed. The “apartment” where they lived was so large that she could have gone days without having to see Helen.  
But she didn’t. She became her best friend, what else was there to do with a roommate? It was the deal of a lifetime, she knew. Helen paid for everything and anything she wanted because, Briseis fit her father’s requirements: a nice, female roommate.That was the only requirement. She got paid to keep boys out of the apartment, Helen’s parents were paying her tuition. After she made the deal, she told Helen. She didn’t want secrets between them. Helen had looked surprised, and agreed to keep boys out of the apartment for her.  
Briseis supposed Helen’s parents thought their daughter wouldn’t have a boyfriend if she had a roommate paid to keep them out. False. The guys she dated had never visited the “apartment”, but she’d get notes from Helen that she would be home late, or later-- and that there was food in the fridge.  
She had no room to complain, she reminded herself as she poured herself a glass of soda and sat down at the kitchen table. She remembered her massive amount of homework and sighed. When she finished eating, Helen was still asleep. She carefully got out another plate and fixed it for her.  
“Helen?” She asked, quietly. She had woken her up before, but it always bordered on the line of awkward. Helen made a noise in response.  
“The pizza’s here.” Briseis told her. She yawned and sat up. Briseis handed her the plate. She put her own plate in the dishwasher, washed her hands and left for her room.  
Homework on a Saturday night wasn’t the most exciting thing she had ever done, but she had to do it. It was better than worrying over a love or lover, she supposed, thinking of the comatose Patroclus.  
When she finished her homework she looked at the clock. Eleven forty nine pm. She sighed, and heard a knock on her door. That could only be Helen.  
“Do you want to walk to the curtain nooks?” She asked, her voice steady.  
She only mentioned that place to Briseis when they needed to talk.  
“Okay.” Briseis said, and nodded. They walked there, it took a while. Helen wanted to fill the silence.  
“Thanks for waking me up.”  
“Anytime, Princess.”  
“Sorry I made you pay for the pizza, I was just- “  
“Don’t worry about it. You were tired. You probably ate and when back to sleep.” Briseis guessed.  
“Yeah. I did.” Helen admitted.  
“I usually deal with the delivery people, it’s not your job.”  
“You were gonna pass out and I was awake. Besides, the delivery girl was cute.” Briseis teased. Even if she did have feelings for Helen, she was her best friend first.  
No matter what.  
Helen looked relieved.  
“I just didn’t want you to-”  
“We’ve ordered out dozens of times this year. This was possibly the first time I had to answer the door. It’s fine. I won the roommate lottery.”  
Helen blushed, a bright red. It reminded Briseis of the tomato sauce from the pizza as they walked down familiar hallways. Briseis wouldn’t admit it, but she was going to miss living with Helen, living in the ridiculously non-apartment “apartment”.  
When they reached the nooks, Helen could tell, by the appearance, but also the warm carpet under her socked feet.  
Helen placed the book under the divan covered by the curtain, and sat on it. Briseis sat next to her as she began to cry.  
“This is so messed up. First Eurypylus, gets an arrow in his knee and Patroclus in in the hospital and I could have stopped it.” Helen bawled. Briseis put a cautious arm around her, and listened.  
“And I messed up everything. It wasn’t to be with Menelaus or Paris, and I made a mess of things. People were actually fighting over me. Like I was a fucking prize. People picked sides. And now I’m completely alone. I’ll never find anyone to date again. I mean-” She sniffled.  
“I’m like an entire mess. No one wants to date that. No one wants to kiss a girl with fucked up mascara, certainly not anyone who isn’t trouble. And everyone heard about it. It’s not like I could anyone date now. And my parents keep putting pressure on me to find someone because I “won’t be beautiful forever” It’s just-- I fucked everything up this year. And I feel like it’s just gonna get worse.” Helen cried.  
“That’s okay.” Briseis assured her.  
“Did you fuck up anything this year?” Helen asked.  
“I fell in love with someone who will never be interested in me.” Briseis offered.  
“That’s pretty bad.” Helen remarked, the tears slowing and Briseis handed her a tissue.  
“Yup.” Briseis said, and Helen hugged her for a long time. They fell asleep on the divan, from emotional exhaustion.


	11. Chapter 11

Achilles didn’t sleep. Instead he spent long hours tossing and turning and thinking about Patroclus. Diomedes noticed, when he was awake, but decided not to say anything. Achilles received several calls from his mother and father that he chose to ignore. Time that was not spent on revenge or Patroclus was time wasted, in his mind.  
The next day Achilles’ friends dragged him down to the dining hall, three of them on one arm and two on the other, pulling him forward as his feet dragged. His head was light.   
“Come on Achilles, you’ve got to eat.” Odysseus, seated on his left, urged, moving a piece of pizza in front of him.  
“No.” Achilles refused and he returned to sulking  
“Seriously, you need energy.” Helen said, sitting on his right, sharing a seat with Briseis, pushing a granola bar towards him.  
“I’m just not hungry.” Achilles snapped at them, a few seconds late.  
“You have never been ‘not hungry’ before,” Diomedes said, as he moved a salad across the table to him.  
“Not eating isn’t going to help Patroclus. It’s just gonna fuck you up.” Briseis warned.  
Achilles said nothing.  
“Achilles, it’s not your fault.” Helen said gently.  
If anything, it was hers, she thought.  
“You or Briseis could have stopped Hector!” Achilles accused, and turned his attention to Briseis.   
“If you weren’t so busy fucking filming- you could have knocked Hector out! You could have helped him! You just stood there!”  
“Listen you as-” Briseis started. Helen put a hand on her shoulder. Br stopped, and they waited to Achilles to continue.  
“You could have knocked him out too! He was right there!” He almost shouted at Helen. She sighed. They listened to him accuse every single one of them. But his anger was fading. -   
“He would still be here if I had just gone to the fucking meeting.” Achilles muttered.  
“That doesn’t mean you don’t get to eat.” Odysseus pointed out, the only one to say something as he was the only person Achilles didn’t pin his comatose boyfriend on. “Whatever. You guys go and do your conviction or whatever. I’m going to the hospital.” Achilles said. Then he left, and they watched him fumble with his keys for a few moments.  
“Should we be letting him drive in his condition?”  
Helen chewed the granola bar while they watched. Diomedes guiltily chewed the salad Achilles refused, and Odysseus ate the pizza crust first, and Briseis stared at the hulking man for a moment before turning her attention to Helen, who was watching Achilles.  
“At least he’s aware of visiting hours.” Antilochus commented. Achilles did not go straight to the hospital, but instead he drove to a special place.  
He felt like a sentimental fool/idiot-- it was a forest where he and Patroclus had played when they were little. He remembered the flowers vividly as they pretended to fight with wooden swords. He wondered if Patroclus still had his wooden sword. He made a note, as it took him three attempts to open his car door, to see if he still had his.   
Achilles remembered the stumbling six year old Patroclus always crying too much when his father took him here to play baseball because he missed his friends from Turkey. He remembered the ten year old who so dearly wanted to learn how to be a doctor after her watched a Achilles bandage his scraped arm. He remembered the twelve year old who hated fighting so after his bullies found him, they came here.He remembered a fifteen year old who blushed when they held hands here for the first time. He remembered all of those moments and he almost looked over to tell Patroclus-- he looked over to see no one. And it hit him all over.  
Achilles had to fight off tears. He couldn’t help but to think that he destroyed all of that.  
“Thank you for taking me here,” He remembered a sixteen year old Patroclus saying.   
“I haven’t been here in years. I guess I kind of missed it.” He blushed then, and Achilles remembered it so clearly--  
“No problem,” He had responded.   
That day, years ago, Achilles held Patroclus in his arms for the first time. The sun shone and the air was warm and smelled of those flowers. Now, the sky was dark and freezing drops of rain hit Achilles’ shoulders. Everything was bitter, except the flowers.  
Achilles paused for a moment. Patroclus would have hated for him to dig up their flowers.They practically venerated the plants. It was sweet watching Patroclus fawn over them. It was an old tradition of theirs to keep plants and he he desperately looked forward to continuing. He could practically hear him complaining that he was taking them from their home. Achilles couldn’t help but to smile.  
He drove about thirty minutes to the nearest nursery. He stood there, looking, and waited. He asked someone who worked there, after he realized he hadn’t. His limbs were heavy-- it reminded him of hiking with Patroclus-- why did everything remind him of Patroclus? Even breathing, as he followed the kind looking lady. She was very patient, and told him he couldn’t have flowers in a hospital. He nodded and the story of Patroclus had slipped out somehow, the love of his life was in a coma. The woman listened, and put the seeds and bulbs he asked for in a cart, she led him through the aisles, and knew he wasn’t completely with her. She got him the appropriate size of pot for each kind of flower, placed them in the cart. She rang him up, he barely noticed, and handed her a large bill, and when the woman began to make change, he had a moment of clarity, and as she held it out, wise eyes framed by wrinkles, he shook his head.  
“Keep it.” He said, and turned away, scooped his bags up and walked to his car. He had to blink a few times before he unlocked his car, his vision had acted up,  
Before he went to the hospital, Achilles went and dropped the seeds and bulbs off at Helen and Briseis’s apartment. He was slightly calmer as he finally drove to the hospital, but only slightly. He tried to think of the vervain, snapdragon, calla lilies, and helichrysum and how happy Patroclus would be when he saw them. He hoped that they would be able to watch them grow together.   
“So, you’ll never believe what Helen and Briseis are doing.” He said to Patroclus as if nothing was wrong, his head feeling like he was floating. It took him a few attempts to find a chair.  
“They got footage of Hector beating you up. Great, right? They’re going to get him convicted. I mean, we think his rich dad is going to bail him out. It’ll be okay, though- regardless of what happens. You’ll wake up and everything will be okay.” Achilles sighed and walked around the room.  
“I’ve decided to go to rehearsal again. I figured it’s the least I could do. I also decided to play my lyre more. I think you always liked it better, anyway. I wonder what Agamemnon will think of all this. I hope it’s worth it to him. If not, then I don’t know what I would do. Speaking of that, you’ll still going to play the Lalo, right? Of course you will.”   
“You were supposed to play the Lalo. It was your dream.” He repeated it a few times.  
The day continued like that. Achilles talked on and on to his comatose love and told him of their friends and parents. Then, Achilles got a call from Briseis.  
“We did it.” she said.  
“That was quick.” said Achilles suspiciously. She noticed the delayed response.  
“Did everything go okay?” He asked.  
“We’ve got a trial in two months.” He heard Briseis say.  
“Two months, but that’s ages!” His reply was barely emotional, but she didn’t comment on it.  
Briseis shrugged and then realized he couldn’t see it through the phone.  
“The court system is an odd thing.” Was all she offered for explanation.  
“Three months.” Achilles repeated- his head floating away.  
“They could come up with all kinds of loopholes and ways to get Hector out of the charges.” He continued, in a frustrated tone and Briseis hoped he wasn’t pulling at his hair-  
“We have those two months to work against them too.” She countered.  
“We can do this, okay?” She said, after a minute of silence on the other end.  
“I know- it’s just- he might not wake up. And this might all be for nothing. And he might be gone. Forever and I won’t-” He broke off.  
“I’ll be back on campus in a minute.” Achilles said after a few seconds. He didn’t want to go.  
Achilles arrived back to campus to find Briseis, Helen, and Agamemnon standing in front of his building’s doors.  
“What do you want?” He growled at Agamemnon.  
“I wish to offer my condolences.” He said, Achilles was too tired to tell if he was sincere or not.  
“Fuck off.” Achilles told him, moving towards the doors.  
“What did I do?” The conductor asked.  
“What didn’t you do?” Achilles spat.  
Briseis and Helen quickly dragged him away to get some food in his system, although they knew he would have acted that way regardless of food or not. They dragged him to their apartment. Helen opened the door as Br dragged him to the kitchen and deposited him in a chair.  
“I know you like Hestia’s cheese pizza and garlic bread.” Br told him as she placed a steaming plate of heated up leftovers in front of him.  
“I’m fine.” Achilles said, automatically.  
“Either you eat this yourself, or I’m going to safely shove it down your throat-” Achilles didn’t hear what she said for a minute.  
He opened his mouth to say something and she shoved a bite in. Helen looked concerned, sitting on the counter, eating her own slice of pizza, but remained silent.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I should note that this would not be possible without Emma helping me out with fact checking and editing.   
> http://ificouldeatthiswogainingweight.tumblr.com   
> I highly recommend you check her out. She also writes her own fanfic mostly on fan fiction.net under the username superhumanwriter7.


	12. Chapter 12

The next two months continued like that. Achilles visited Patroclus every day after rehearsal. He frequently brought his lyre and he sang to his boyfriend. He was convinced that maybe it would help wake him. It never did- at least, not that he saw.  
He spent many nights away from the dorm, much to the worry of Diomedes. But he knew that he was just with Helen and Briseis. He was comforted with the knowledge that they would take care of him if he wasn’t around. Diomedes would never admit it, but he was worried for Achilles’ health. They all made a group effort made sure he ate, when they could find him. Helen left food on his bed so he couldn’t ignore it. It worked. He went to the gym frequently each week. He was already fairly muscular, but he had bulked up-- his friends wondered if he even noticed, he was so deep in his own mind sometimes. They put him into a routine, and he followed, mechanically at places. At least he was following it, taking care of himself. Sort of.  
Then came the day of the trial.  
“You’re not going to the trial.” Briseis told Achilles.  
“What?” Achilles asked.  
“She’s right.” Helen confirmed.  
“You were not there to actually observe the fight, therefore you would be no use as a witness and we’re worried that if you hear Hector’s defense then it might upset you.” Antilochus reasoned.  
“I guess you’re right.” Achilles admitted.  
“Great. We’ll call you once the trials over and we heard the verdict. Take care.” Briseis said and they left.  
Achilles left the campus with his lyre in hand and he went directly to the hospital. He greeted the nurses who knew him by name by then and he greeted the doctor.  
“Patroclus has started to react to stimulus. He reacted for a couple hours last night.” The doctor said.  
“That’s amazing!” Achilles exclaimed.  
“However, it could be hours, days, or weeks until he fully wakes up.” the doctor continued.  
“Oh.” Achilles slumped.  
“Thank you for the information.” He said  
Achilles sat in Patroclus’s room and played his lyre all day. The nurses who constantly came to tend to Patroclus grew to enjoy Achilles’ soft plucking and gentle singing. They began to think that Patroclus was a very lucky boy.  
“I learned a new song. Do you want to hear?” Achilles asked Patroclus.  
“Of course you do. It’s not exactly as if you have a choice,” Achilles laughed bitterly.  
“Oh, leave me not to pine alone and desolate. No fate seems as fair as mine. There’s no happiness so great. He loves me, he is here. His joy sets my heart to fly, there’s no feeling so great--” and as he was singing, Patroclus’s eyelids moved, and he watched for a few moment before they finally opened.  
“Achilles?” He asked, his voice was rough and scratchy.  
“Patroclus.” Achilles whispered.  
“Where am I? What’s going on? How long have I been asleep?” Patroclus began to wake up, his heart rate raising, his voice still rough.  
“It’s okay. Don’t move or you might accidentally pull out an IV or something.”  
“I’m confused.” He told Achilles, his eyes full of panic, Achilles made soft noises meant to calm him as he hit the nurse button, unsure if they knew Patroclus was awake.  
“It’s okay.” Achilles repeated as the nurses came rushing in. He was moved to a chair by the door so that he wouldn’t interfere with the nurses.  
“Can he come back here?” Patroclus asked, and the nurses looked at his increased heart rate.  
“If it will calm you down-” One of them began.  
“It will.” He answered quickly.  
Achilles looked at one of the nurses who gestured for him to come closer again.  
“I love you.” He told Patroclus  
“I love you too.” he whispered back.  
“Don’t try to move.” One of the nurses instructed, Achilles thought her name was Aretha.  
“If you can, keep your arms straight.” She continued, looking at the almost empty IV bags.  
“How long until I can leave?” Patroclus asked.  
“That is to be determined, we’ll come back when your IV bags are empty, everything is going as well as expected- do us a favor dear and hit the button when all of the fluid is out of both bags. We’ll come back and go from there- there’s another patient we need to get to right now-” One of them- Caris was looking at his phone, gesturing to the door. The nurses hurried out.  
“So- what happened? I remember- I remember Hector-” He stopped when he noticed his boyfriend’s reaction to the name. The room was silent for a moment until he asked in a quiet voice,  
“Achilles? I haven’t been in the hospital for just a day have I? What’s the date?”  
“You’ve been in here for two months. It’s March fifteenth.” Achilles sighed.  
“How fitting,” Patroclus said before the reality of it struck him.  
“Two months. I’ve been away from orchestra and classes for two months. What does everyone think happened to me?”  
“They think Hector tried to crack your head open.” Achilles’s voice was bitter.  
“Did that happen? How did the rest of that fight go? I’m sure Helen was happy to get at Paris and his brother.”  
“I don’t actually know. Briseis has it all on her phone but, I haven’t had the heart to look at it yet.” Achilles said. There was a pause.  
“Why not?” Patroclus asked.  
“I can’t bear the thought of actually seeing Hector hurt you.”  
“That’s really- sweet. Though, completely unwarranted.” Patroclus said.  
“‘Twas but a scratch.” He joked. Achilles laughed, one of his first real laughs in months.  
“I didn’t know you liked that movie.” Achilles told him.  
“Well, it seemed like you needed some cheering up,” Patroclus said.  
“Speaking of cheering up, it looks like your IV bags are empty.” Achilles said  
Patroclus tried to nod. He got fragments of phrases and some words, just enough to get the meaning. Mostly. things moved, and Achilles was made to leave.  
Achilles obliged, and in a minute, they had Aretha and Caris in the room.  
“He’s done with his IV’s.” Achilles pointed out the obvious.  
“Can you chew?” Caris asked, looking at Patroclus.  
“Sure-sure.” Patroclus stuttered. He heard the word chew and that’s it.  
“Well- we’ll- bring you something easy and soft to start off with. We’ll see how that goes- and if it doesn’t go well, it’s back to this IV okay? Aretha’s going to remove them- Achilles do you mind helping?” Caris asked.  
“No I don’t- what do I need to do?” Achilles asked.  
“Aretha- I’ll be right back with his food.” Caris said.  
“Okay, I need to take these IV catheters out. I’m going to hand you two cotton  
balls with medical tape, when I take them out, I need to to put them on over where they were.” Achilles was relieved.  
“Okay.”  
“Relax, dear, this is going to be fine.” Aretha told Patroclus as he flinched away. She put medical tape on a cotton ball and handed it to Achilles. Patroclus was panicked. She walked to his right side, and carefully began to peel off the sticky plastic off of Patroclus’s arm.  
“Now remember, stay relaxed, dear.” Aretha reminded him. PAtroclus was clutching weakly at his sheets. She moved her fingers across his arm to the catheter, and carefully pulled the plastic towards his wrist. It came out, and she pulled it away from him, moving it onto the table next to the bed. Achilles put the cotton ball on the wound that was beginning to produce a bead of red- and taped it securely.  
“Does that feel okay?” Achilles asked.  
Patroclus tried to answer but he had trouble finding the words. Moving his arm. He tried to grab Achilles’s hand, but he didn’t have a very strong grip. Or really, any grip.  
“Okay now relax your other arm dear, stop moving.” Aretha said, and he did.She began to peel the plastic off, and took the catheter out. She gave Achilles a cotton ball, and he pressed it to Patroclus’s arm, and she taped it. Caris returned, with a tray of food.  
“Hey, Achilles, we’re kicking you out for a few minutes, buddy. Go get a coffee or something.” Caris told him and he nodded.  
He walked to the hospital cafeteria and got some food. He didn’t pay attention to what it was, but he grabbed it and paid. He sat down, eating whatever it was, he bit and chewed, and gulped whatever drink he had down. When he was done, he returned to the room, to see it closed. He knocked. Aretha cracked the door open.  
“Hey, Achilles, we’re doing some tests on him. Can you come back tomorrow? We should have an estimate of how much longer he has to be here by then.”  
“Okay.” He said, and the door shut. He walked out of the hospital to his car excited Patroclus was awake. As he was about to drive back to campus he got a call from Briseis.  
“Hi.” He answered and he cringed when he heard his voice break.  
“Have you been crying again?” Briseis.  
“No, the opposite.” Achilles said smiling.  
“You don’t mean?” Briseis asked in shock.  
“Yeah, he’s awake.” Briseis could practically see Achilles beaming through the phone.  
“Well, I have good news of my own, sort of.” Briseis explained  
“So, Hector was convicted-” she continued  
“But his rich daddy bailed him out.” Achilles inferred.  
“Exactly. He’ll be back at the campus tonight and he should go to the observatory, if you catch my drift.”  
“Perfect. I’ll see you then.” Achilles said.


	13. Chapter 13

Achilles drove back to his dorm in a daze and waited anxiously for hours to pass quickly until his revenge. He paced around his room. Antilochus wondered if he could wear holes down in the carpet with that pacing.  
“Hey, I heard about Patroclus. I’m surprised you’re not happier.” He commented, looking at his pacing roommate from his book, from which he had been watching Achilles from for a while.  
“Oh, I’m very happy. I’m also very angry with Hector and I can’t wait to finally annihilate him.” Achilles muttered.  
“Just don’t take it too far, okay?” Antilochus warned, and when he remembered his advice would fall on ears with selective hearing, sighed. Achilles laughed under his breath.Waiting. Achilles hated it. He hated the anxious feeling he got while he waited.   
Briseis arrived at their room clad all in black with a clipboard in one hand and a pen behind her ear.  
“What’s the clipboard for?” Antilochus asked.  
“Wait-never mind, I don’t want to know.” He decided before he quickly left the room.  
“It’s a compilation of all the blackmail material and a list of what you can do to him without being thrown into prison in case this goes wrong, which it won’t.” Briseis said after Antilochus was safely out of earshot.  
“That’s dark, even for you.” Achilles complimented.  
“It’s better than ending up in prison.” Briseis replied in a nonchalant tone.  
Achilles and Briseis walked together, using a camera free route to the aging observatory. Ivy was growing steadily on the side of the building and the once bright copper dome was green with age.   
As expected, Hector was standing on the balcony overlooking the entrance. The pair quickly moved to meet him. When he saw Achilles and Briseis he tried to run but there was no where to go.  
“What are you going to do to me?” Hector asked.  
“Well, he’s here to beat you until you can barely breathe and I’m here to threaten you.” Briseis said sweetly.  
“What do you mean?” Hector asked.  
“You see, I have this clipboard with some pictures and testimonies about things like, oh, your son and other small problems.” She gave Hector a dazzling smile.  
“What do you want?” he asked.  
“If you happen to recall what happens here you will remain silent unless you want your reputation tarnished.”  
“Not tarnished, burnt to ash. I want to ruin you as your ruined my life for two months.” Achilles informed him.  
“What he said. So, do you agree to our terms?” Briseis asked.  
Hector looked terrified.  
“You should probably say yes. It will hurt less.” Briseis supplied.  
“Yes.” He agreed softly.  
“Perfect. Don’t make me be a liar and do go easy on him, Achilles.” Briseis teased.  
“You wish.” Achilles laughed. He wrapped his hands around Hector’s throat and slammed his knee into his ribs. Hector groaned but did not fight back. Instead, he tried to run. Achilles grabbed him by his arm and kicked at the back of one of his knees. Hector fell, and Achilles let his face hit the stone before pulling on his hair. Blood streamed from his nose and his eyes looked bleary. He hit Hector’s healed jaw. Briseis could hear a crack and she watched carefully. Hector groaned and attempted to crawl away. Briseis looked around, hoping no one heard. Achilles was starting to fly off the rails. She had no idea how to calm him down.  
Hector finally tried to fight back in vain, but his strength was no match for Achilles, who was filled with pent up anger who had been working out in the last three months to relieve stress. He tried to hit Achilles’ face but Achilles kicked at his back and as he fell he twisted Hector’s arm to the breaking point. It audibly cracked when Achilles saw the silver ring on a chain that was around Hector’s throat. Achilles grabbed it.  
“Where did you get this?” He asked, in a low voice. He had looked everywhere, for months for it.   
“I took it.” Hector’s voice shook.  
“I wanted something to show off.” He tried to avoid looking Achilles in the eye.  
“That’s so petty.” Achilles sighed as he backed Hector towards the ledge.  
“I thought even you were smarter than that.” Achilles sounded disappointed as he pushed Hector. Hard. Too hard.  
“Shit.” The single word escaped Achilles’s mouth. Reality seemed to seep in, and he felt like he had been punched in the stomach. The air disappeared out of his lungs.  
“You’re an idiot. You can’t just throw people off a fucking balcony!” Bresis criticized in a quiet tone, not wanting the entire campus to hear her tirade.  
“He had my ring,” Achilles said weakly.  
“You better fucking hope he’s not dead because that’s a really bad excuse in court- and I am not going to jail for murder you-” Briseis whisper shouted at him and said something in a different language that Achilles didn’t understand.  
“I’m sorry-”  
Achilles and Briseis ran down the stairs and through the observatory.  
“I’m sure you are. Now, let’s go see what I can do.” Hector lay in the grass next to the building. His arms and legs were twisted beneath him and blood pooled around his head. Briseis checked his pulse.  
“Well, he’s not dead-” She said as she began to dial for the paramedics.  
“What the hell are you doing?” Achilles asked.   
“I am going to report that I saw him fall from the balcony. You should probably leave. Like, now. Go back to your dorm.” she said  
“Okay, tell me how things go.” He requested.


	14. Chapter 14

They sat through another two hours of rehearsal before they could leave. At once, Achilles went to the hospital to see Patroclus.  
“I’ve got some great news, Patroclus--hold on a second.” He attempted to take off his hoodie and he got stuck. And Patroclus looked at him for a second, and laughed.  
“Need some help?” He asked through laughing. He watched Achilles move some more, and his t shirt was pulled up too.  
“You sure you have this under control?” Patroclus asked,in between laughs.  
“Yeah.” Achilles said, and Patroclus laughed even harder as he walked and hit the door.  
“Okay, I’ll help.” Patroclus said, much to Achilles’s muffled annoyance.  
“Hey Achilles?”  
“Hmm?” He asked though a thick layer of hoodie.  
“Did you work out while I was- ya know?”  
“I think so.”  
“Well, these look to be a new development. Because your arms used to be looser in this hoodie- that’s part of the problem. Here.” Patroclus pulled, ignoring the nice view of his almost shirtless boyfriend.  
He pulled it off with difficulty, and Achilles got it off with his help.


	15. Chapter 15

While Achilles was visiting the hospital, Briseis and Helen decided to scope out some SAC sponsored event to see what they were doing about the recent debacle.  
“Do you really think this is a good idea?” Helen asked.  
“I don’t see how it’s particularly a bad one.” Briseis answered.  
They snuck into where Briseis had predicted the best vantage point with coverage would be, (a hedge in the shape of a square to hide a large electrical box near the building) and watched the athletes run past, late to some event.  
“What is this?” Helen asked.  
“The next event in the funeral games is discus throwing. Report to your places.” A voice boomed over the loudspeaker.  
“Funeral games? What the hell? Who died?” Briseis asked.  
She looked up from the bush they were hiding behind and saw a bright red banner hanging across the football bleachers, with a familiar face on them.  
“Patroclus,” She realized, horrified.  
“The funeral games are for Patroclus.” She repeated to Briseis.  
“Oh my gods.” Briseis whispered.  
“He’s not dead!” Helen half yelled, and Briseis yanked her back behind the square shape of continuous hedge. No one could see into the hedge, but they could see out of it.  
“Be quiet or we’ll be spotted.” Briseis hissed. Helen looked at her attractive roommate and sighed internally.  
“Should we tell Achilles?” She asked, dreading the idea of being the messenger.  
“I don’t know, maybe?” Briseis responded, checking to make sure no one had heard Helen’s shout.  
“It would make him angry for sure.” Helen said.  
“He does have a right to know.” Briseis reasoned.  
Helen pulled out her phone and called Achilles. Her hands were trembling and she couldn’t stop fidgeting on the grass she was sitting on.  
“This is sick.” She repeated over and over again under her breath while she waited for Achilles to pick up.  
“Hello,” Achilles said when he finally picked up his phone. He sounded breathless.  
“The SAC has finally lost it.” Helen told him.  
“You’re just now realizing that?” He asked, surprise coloring his tone.  
“They’re holding funeral games for Patroclus.” She blurted.  
“What?” He asked.  
“They are holding funeral games for Patroclus.” She repeated.  
“But he’s not dead!” Achilles said, looking at said boyfriend, who gave him a questioning look. He put it on speakerphone. Briseis stole Helen’s phone. Helen rolled her eyes at her.  
“That’s seriously the only thing that strikes you as twisted in this? You know, not the fact that they would celebrate the hypothetical death of your boyfriend in the first place.” Briseis remarked, ignoring Helen’s annoyed look. Helen could still hear the conversation, so she didn’t feel very bad about it.  
After a few moments of silence, they could could hear faint muttering in the background.  
“There’s nothing we can do.” Achilles said.  
“What do you mean there is nothing we can do? You hardly ever say that. At least, not when it comes to him.” Briseis remarked.  
“Get up there and put me on speakerphone.” Achilles requested. She rolled her eyes and gave the phone to Helen, who started making irritated noises at both Achilles and Briseis. She slipped through the hedge and ran for the tent with the sound equipment.  
When Helen got to the sound tent she took the mic from the sole person on the stage-- a boy with a medal around his neck-- and talked into her phone.  
“Okay, you’re good to go in five seconds. Count and then talk.” She told Achilles. She held the microphone to her phone’s speaker.   
“Disband the games! Patroclus is not dead and you’re all idiots.” Achilles declared. Helen saw her roommate run onto the stage.   
Not like this could get any worse, she decided. Briseis stood behind her.  
The pair watched people mutter to each other.  
“Now, leave!” He commanded. A few people looked in disbelief and they started to walk away.  
“What can he do to us?” Aeneas, the captain of the track team asked, from somewhere they couldn’t see.  
“He wasn’t able to do anything before and he can’t do anything now.” He taunted as people walked away from him.  
“What? Do you have no courage?” Aeneas continued, challenging the girls and Achilles.  
Patroclus looked irritated and was shaking his head no, don’t you even dare Achilles, don’t you dare leave this hospital room.   
“Apparently not.” Achilles answered and then he hung up. Helen shoved her phone in her pocket and they leapt off the stage.  
Helen and Briseis left right away as they didn’t want to be there when and if Aeneas decided to acknowledge them specifically. Or the gods forbid--the SAC. They sprinted to Helen’s car, Briseis was in the driver’s side, and Helen threw her the keys and they scrambled to leave before anyone could catch them.  
“Oh my gods.” Helen breathed.  
“We’re so screwed.” She continued panicking as Briseis sped through side streets, and took a way Helen wouldn’t have considered to get home. They kept checking the mirrors, thinking someone would follow them. Helen disengaged the safety system and Briseis pulled into their garage. Helen shut the door as soon as possible.  
“How can you be so calm about this?” Helen asked as they unbuckled their seat belts. Briseis hadn’t said anything since they had hidden behind a hedge. It was annoying, she thought as she rearmed the security system.  
“I am freaking out. I’m just trying to think a few ways out of this. We could be in serious trouble for interfering. Along with Achilles.”  
“Okay. Hey, we missed lunch. I’m too freaked to stay still and cook—are you up for it or can we order out?”  
“Me too. Can we order from Hestia’s?” Briseis said, her mind going miles a minute.  
“Yeah, go plan. I have this.” Helen told her, she dialed the familiar number, as Briseis walked away.   
They didn’t see each other until twenty minutes later, when the pizza arrived. Helen called Briseis after she paid for the pizza.  
“What?” Briseis asked. Helen wondered where she was in the apartment. Calling was easier than shouting. Briseis always had her phone on her.  
“The pizza’s here.” Helen said, and hung up. She ate, waiting for her roommate to show up. Briseis passed the living room and picked up a pillow, looked at it thoughtfully, and threw it at her.  
“What was that for?” She complained, not moving from her perch on the counter. She didn’t pick it up, she had pizza grease on her fingers.  
“That was so stupid of you.” Briseis scolded as she picked up the pillow and threw it back onto one of the couches.  
“What else was I supposed to do?” Helen asked as she washed her hands.   
“Not get involved!” Briseis told her, looking at her back.  
“They got involved over me- I’m just returning the favor!” Helen said, irritated.  
“Yeah, after I yelled sense into them!” Briseis shouted.  
“It would have come to them eventually!” Helen defended, drying her hands.  
“No it wouldn’t have! They’re love focused idiots!” Briseis was exasperated. How did Helen not see that? She wondered.  
“Well if they are- then I am too!” Helen turned around.  
“Oh great- who are you in love with this time? Another idiot?” It had spilled out. Briseis wanted to shove the words back in, and she was expecting Helen to flinch, to run, anything but yell back at her.  
“You!” Helen yelled at her.  
“What about me?” Briseis shouted.   
“I’m in love with you!” Helen yelled.  
Briseis stopped thinking for a moment.  
“Are you-” She asked, her voice at a normal level.  
“What?” Helen asked angrily.  
“I thought you were straight.” Briseis said slowly, her hands up.  
“Well I’m not now!” Helen threw her hands up, about to grab her pizza and leave.  
“Wait.” Bresis whispered.  
“What?” Helen asked, exasperated.  
“I love you too.” Briseis said.  
Helen kissed her then, and the anger melted away for a moment.  
“We still need to talk about this.” Bresis said, after her mind wasn’t focused on Helen’s lips, a few minutes later.  
“I know.” Helen said.  
“But we’ll do it together. And we’ll figure this out-”  
“Together.” Helen finished.


	16. Chapter 16

Four days passed in the blink of an eye. Achilles, Briseis, and Helen sat happily in the hospital waiting room, eager for Patroclus leave with them. When the receptionist finally called their names, they greeted the doctor for the last time.  
“Here is a packet of all the information you’ll need to care for him as well as a recommendation for physical therapy.” He said as he handed Achilles the papers.  
“Thank you.” Achilles said happily.  
“I bet you three are happy to have your friend out of here.” The doctor remarked, watching Briseis and Helen fidget with impatience. Achilles wasn’t as discreet, and was blatantly craning his neck hoping for a peek of his boyfriend.  
“Here he is.” The doctor said and they saw Aretha pushing his wheelchair. Patroclus was grinning.   
“Hey losers.” Patroclus greeted them.  
“That makes you a loser too, for hanging out with us.” Briseis pointed out. Patroclus grinned even wider.  
“I know. Orcha dorks for the win.” He laughed. The rest of them did too, and there was some relief in being able to properly laugh again.  
“I’m glad to see that you still have a sense of humor.” Achilles teased as he took Aretha’s place in wheeling Patroclus. He couldn’t explain to anyone, not properly anyway, what a relief it was to see those eyes of Patroclus’s-- full of life again.As they drove back to campus they laughed and smiled more than they had in months. Patroclus made several bad jokes. Helen giggled at the better ones, Briseis pretended like she didn’t laugh, but she did, and Achilles gave full laughs at each pun and joke. Most of it was just relief. He didn’t have much reason to laugh or be happy without Patroclus.  
“What, did you come up with those while you were in your coma? Did you google search with your coma brain the worst puns in existence?” Briseis asked.   
“Maybe.” Patroclus tried to seem mysterious for a moment before he made a face and sneezed.  
Achilles laughed, and his ribs hurt. In a good way.


	17. Chapter 17

“Your wheelchair better fit through those doors.” Briseis warned.  
“Why?” Patroclus asked. She snorted.   
“Because I’m not carrying you. If anything--” She glanced at Achilles before continuing,  
“That’s your boyfriend’s job.”   
At this, Helen spit out the water she was drinking and gave her girlfriend a dirty look.  
“What?” Briseis asked innocently.  
“I can’t believe you sometimes.” She muttered. Briseis grinned as they parked.  
“I’ll take that as a compliment.”   
Achilles wisely kept his mouth shut. Patroclus laughed.   
"Wait until Hector sees me again." He muttered.  
"Shit." Briseis whispered under her breath. Helen’s pretty face filled with an expression Patroclus had never seen on it.  
"What?” Patroclus asked, looking at familiar faces, marred with heavy guilt.  
" I might have--" Achilles began to explain.  
"I might have wanted revenge. I--he was wearing your necklace."  
“So now you’re saying that was, completely justified?” Briseis asked.  
“I didn’t mean to! He put Patroclus in a coma!” Achilles defended.  
“You even helped me,” he seethed. Achilles felt betrayed.  
“And that doesn’t make it right to hurt him. I want to see him. Take me to apologize to him. Do you think he’s in his dorm room? Because either you’re going to apologize to him, and he will accept it, or at the very least hear it-- and if he doesn’t hear your apology and acknowledge it, I don’t want to see you.”   
“Oh shit.” Helen muttered under her breath, along with Briseis, who used a different four letter word.  
“What? ” Patroclus looked at them, ignoring Achilles.  
“Um, Patroclus--- he’s kind of--” Helen tried to soften the news  
“Your boyfriend here put him in the hospital and he’s in a coma. He’s been in it for two weeks. There’s no way for him to actually accept any apologies.” Briseis said.  
“And you knew?” Patroclus’s voice was soft. And deadly. Achilles heard the betrayal.  
“We both did, yes.” Helen  
Patroclus looked at the trio, each with varying levels of anxiety showing on their faces--  
“Have fun without me.” Patroclus said, and hit the door button--once he could get his wheelchair out of the car, he wouldn’t see them for a long time.  
And he moved out of the van, and began wheeling away-- and none of them tried to stop him.  
“So what do we do now?” Achilles asked, wondering if either of the girls had a solution he hadn’t thought of.  
“That’s more of a you problem.” Briseis said, ready to loop her arm in Helen's.  
“What do you mean his problem? We all helped. We all played our parts in this. Admittedly, his plan and he did most of it, but we had roles in that plan. We need to own up to it. And we need to find a way to apologize and make it up to Patroclus.” Helen admitted.  
“How the hell are we going to do that?” Briseis asked.  
“Short of getting Hector out of a coma, there’s no possible way we can meet those requirements. It’s a lost cause. Sorry, Achilles, but I can’t think of a way he will ever forgive you." She pointed out bluntly.  
“Well then, we need to think of something.” Helen   
Achilles looked at the doors Patroclus had disappeared through. Helen and Briseis had never seen him look so lost. Or sad.


	18. Chapter 18

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hey, I'm sorry we were gone for so long, exams and school kind of caught up with me, but I should be good for a while so, back to regular updating!

Patroclus ignored the twentieth text in four hours. He sighed, and Antilochus looked over from his textbook.   
“Boyfriend again?” He asked, the first time either of them had verbally acknowledged his phone and their silence since he opened the door to Patroclus’s knocking.  
“He’s not my boyfriend anymore.” Patroclus said firmly.   
“What’d he do?”  
“He put Hector in that coma he’s in.” Patroclus confessed.   
“No shit?” Antilochus asked. Patroclus nodded.  
“Damn. He loves you a lot.” He commented. Patroclus shook his head.  
“That wasn’t love. That was him doing something stupid and almost killing someone. And I can’t be with someone like that.” Patroclus admitted. Antilochus looked thoughtful as he continued.  
“That’s terrifying. He almost killed someone. He’s always picked fights, and so have I, but--” He broke off for a moment.  
“He could be in jail. I should turn him in. But I-- I have this loyalty to him. Still.” Antilochus noticed his roommate’s frustration.  
“You’re still loyal to him?” He inquired.  
Patroclus threw his phone across the room so it hit Antilochus pillow, and flopped back onto his own bed.   
“Yeah. And it sucks. Because he did that. It’s black and white, I should report it. I should tell someone. That’s the right thing to do, and I’ve always done that-- but--. I love him. I love that idiot and I don’t know how to be right, to do the right thing and love him. I don’t know anymore, dude.”   
“That’s tough. Does anyone else know?” Antilochus asked.  
“Briseis and Helen, of course.” Patroclus said as he ran his fingers through his hair, lost in thought.  
That night was filled with restless sleep and nightmares. Patroclus imagined time and time again different ways that Achilles could be hurting himself. He awoke every couple of hours and against his better judgment, read Achilles' text. If anything, they said that Diomedes was keeping an eye on him. That much was good. As much as he hated to admit it, he still cared for that obnoxious child. He tried to put him out of his mind, but he failed miserably.   
In the morning, Patroclus sat on his bed for several minutes staring at his wheel chair.   
“Hey, can you help me out?” asked Patroclus to his sleepy roommate  
“Yeah, sure man. When do you start PT?” Antilochus asked.  
“Tomorrow, I’ve been meaning to ask if you will drive me.”  
“Sure, sounds good.”  
The next two weeks were filled with trips to the physical therapist and to cello lessons instead of classes. Every other hour people were checking up on Patroclus and making sure he was okay. The attention started to become more than he could bear. Even though he was rarely alone, he felt lonely without Achilles. He would never admit it, but the feeling weighed on his heart. As he slowly regained control over his body, Patroclus found it harder and harder to want to forgive Achilles.   
The first day he was able to walk unassisted Antilochus was by his side, but he desperately wanted it to be Achilles even though he was still furious. His mixed opinions followed him to sleep every single night. Finally, he could bear it no longer and he decided to seek out Achilles in order to confront him and possibly clear his conscious and remind himself that he should have nothing to do with the brutish man he used to call his boyfriend.


	19. Chapter 19

Everything was crazy, and lonely. Achilles figured a good place to brood was the clearing in the forest. It made his heart drop to think about it without Patroclus, but he doubted anyone would disturb him there. So he drove, and walked there, laying down next to the flowers, for a long time. He had almost fallen asleep, until he heard a familiar voice.  
“Why are you here?” It was Patroclus, sounding tired and angry.  
“What are you doing here?” Achilles countered. He wondered if his former boyfriend would dignify that with a response. He hadn’t heard his voice in weeks.  
“I wanted to study in peace, but since you’re here, I’ll leave.” Patroclus began to walk away.  
“If you want to say something, just say it.” Achilles muttered. Patroclus spun around.  
“You wanna know what my problem is?” He didn’t wait for an answer.  
“It’s you! I was in a coma! A coma! For two whole months. And I was gone, I know that. It was not my fault. I know it was Hector’s. But revenge-- revenge was not your call to make. You were awake for those two months. I wasn’t. Each day I spent with IV’s in my arm was another day closer to getting the plug pulled on me. I could have died. I could have died, not you, and you made the decision to get back at Hector. Without me!”  
“I--” Achilles began, and moved to stand up.  
“No! No! You don’t get to do that! I’m talking. You do not get to interrupt me.” Patroclus’s eyes were filled with fire.  
“I was dying in a hospital room, okay? That was my call to make. Not Helen's. Not Briseis’, and certainly not yours! My choice and mine alone. It affected you. I understand. But you don’t get to make choices for me! And I’ve never let anyone do that. You’re special, and I know and you know--- but it was my call to dye all of Hector’s white clothes an ugly green or something. My call. My call to beat the shit out of him and go for round two, okay? This is something you didn’t understand. And I wanted to turn you in. I still do. It’s the right thing to do.”  
“Then why don’t you?” Achilles asked bitterly, turning his back to him.  
“Because I love you, you fucking idiot!” Patroclus shouted.  
“And no, that does not mean we’re back together. It means, I’m mad. And you almost killed someone for putting me in a coma! I’m not a victim. You of all people know that. And that-- that was really not acceptable. I love you. I love talking to you and kissing you and texting and the couple stuff we did. But I need time to think, and heal. Away from you. And I’m not going to give you false hope and say we’ll get back together. I don’t know at this point. Because I’m finding it really hard to look at you right now and not punch you in your attractive face. Actually, you know what? Can I?”  
“Can you what? Punch me in the face?” Achilles asked. Patroclus nodded.  
“If it’ll make you feel b-” And he was on the ground, and he could feel the blood coming out and the bruises forming.  
“I deserved that.” Achilles offered.  
“Yes. Yes you did.” Patroclus told him before he walked away.  
“Wait,” Achilles yelled.  
“You’re walking!” He gaped.  
“You’re just now noticing that,” Patroclus snapped.  
“This is great!” Achilles truly smiled for the first time in weeks.  
“I’ve also been on remedial cello lessons. I’m doing pretty damn well, considering.” Patroclus smiled despite himself. He started to leave again.  
“Wait,” Achilles yelled again.  
“What more can you possibly want?” asked Patroclus.  
“What can I do to make it up to you?” he asked quietly.  
“I don’t know.” and Patroclus left Achilles. The muses should not have sang to the wrath of Achilles, but rather the wrath of a gentle man. They should have sang of the wrath of Patroclus.


	20. Chapter 20

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hi! Just so you know, I'm going away for six weeks and will not have access to technology. I'll (hopefully) be back to a regular posting schedule after that. Thanks!

Time began to wear on Achilles again, after that meeting. Hours felt like days and days felt like weeks. He occasionally caught glimpses of Patroclus when he was feeling well enough to attend rehearsal. It hurt to look at him, it hurt to think of him, and their relationship and the knowledge that he had wrecked their relationship indefinitely. Possibly, forever. Unless he could find a way to set things right with Hector. But still, sometimes, his heart stuttered when he saw Patroclus and he was filled with brief joy that he was alive. He was always happy that he was alive. Even if he was so far away. Patroclus caught his stare and turned his head. Helen sent him a sympathetic look.  
He sighed. At least someone, two someones, were happy. Rehearsal dragged on. Achilles vaguely remembered getting up to perform his concerto, but it was all a blur of sound, lacking fury.   
Briseis and Helen sounded fantastic, as usual. When it was time for Patroclus to practice, his throat went dry. It wasn’t that he sounded bad, far from it given the current situation, but he didn’t sound good as he needed to.  
While he was walking alone back to his dorm, a girl stormed up to him with a 5 year old child trailing close behind.  
“What the hell!” she yelled at him.  
“What did I do?” Achilles asked, confused. It seemed like everyone was out for his blood.  
“You know what you did.” She hissed.  
“No, I really don’t.”   
“Don’t be such an idiot.” she seethed  
“Just pay the gods-damned hospital bills and make sure people don’t hurt my kid. That’s all I ask.” she growled.  
“What hospital bills?” Achilles asked.  
“Hector’s!” The woman yelled at him. The boy grabbed at his mother’s shirt hem and began to cry.  
“Remember him?” she hissed.  
Achilles tried to speak but the words got caught in his mouth.  
“Fine, whatever. This was stupid anyway.” She said as she stormed away with the boy. Achilles saw Briseis and Helen running towards him.  
“You idiot!” Helen yelled.  
“That was Andromache and Astyanax.” Briseis sighed.  
“Coincidently, they were your last hope to get Patroclus to even like you again.” Helen snapped.  
“I didn’t know,” Achilles whispered. His heart was filled with dread. He blew it, he thought. Patroclus would never even look at him again. The thought of it broke his heart.  
“I’m sure we can find another way.” Briseis said as she tried to comfort her friend.   
“How?” Helen yelled.  
“We set it up perfectly for you. There could not have been a better time to meet her,” She seethed   
“You could have at least told me!” He yelled. it was all driving him crazy-- he was living with Helen and Briseis because Diomedes didn't want to be around him. He only checked up on him to make sure he wasn't dying. Helen and Briseis barely looked at him either. He was so alone, all of the time and he couldn’t count how long it had been since Patroclus had directly talked to him. Oh sure, he talked to Helen, while Achilles waited for her to go home so he could go with her--he didn’t have a key.  
He was invisible to everyone. All alone. It was frustrating and maddening and he lost count of how many times he had ended up sprawled out somewhere in the sprawling “apartment”, and how many times he had passed out on the hard floor of the little balcony greenhouse surrounded by battered and bruised white tulips and a few bottles. He’d broken 8 lyres while living with Briseis and Helen and he was about to lose it.  
“You never talk to me! No one ever talks to me! No one can even fucking look at me!” Achilles almost roared. It came out as a relatively quiet shout. It still got some attention from other students.  
“Odysseus can.” Helen said, trying to sound upbeat.  
“Because he likes sleeping with everyone! Odysseus is sleeping with almost everyone except us three!” Achilles shouted. They didn’t notice a familiar face contort in shock and they certainly didn’t hear the gasp or the angry tears that began to form. Briseis noticed someone running, but she assumed it was someone late for a class. She brushed the thought away.   
While Achilles was exaggerating, he had a point. But he didn’t need to make it in a public place, Briseis thought.  
Helen looked exasperated and tired, like she might put him in a time out of some kind.  
Briseis however had a different idea.  
“If you want to yell, we’re going to do it at home where there aren’t any spectators, you idiot.” Briseis hissed as she gripped his wrist. She was so done with Achilles. Sure they barely saw him, but it was causing tension between her and Helen, each day.  
“Because insulting him will make this worse, nice one!” Helen whisper shouted as they dragged Achilles the long walk to their apartment. Briseis wanted to roll her eyes. Spoiled rich people who didn’t get their way were the worst, in her experience. Rich people when they were hungry and liked sharing, that was the best.  
One time, they had gotten delivery. From a five star restaurant. She hadn’t even known that was possible, but money did wonders, she noticed as Helen slipped the man a few hundred dollar bills in exchange for the food--  
“You never notice me!” Achilles shouted in the kitchen.  
“Because you act like a child! We have our own lives, you know!”  
“I know!” He yelled in response.  
“You get to live your lives and I’m stuck here because Diomedes can’t look at me!”  
“Well you know what? It’s kind of hard to look at you when you almost killed someone!” Briseis shouted. Achilles froze.  
“You helped me plan it.” He said quietly. Helen watched.  
“Because I didn’t think you’d take it that far!” Briseis seethed.  
“Hector took it that far!” Achilles.  
“It was an accident.” Briseis  
“Like mine was!” Achilles said.  
“That doesn’t excuse anything.” Briseis said quietly.  
“I didn’t say that for forgiveness, I said that for understanding!” Achilles said.  
“Well you’re not forgiven! You’re so busy worrying about your own privileged ass that you didn’t think of the rest of us!” Briseis yelled.  
“Bri.” Helen said quietly, about to move between the shouting match.  
“No- no he needs to hear this!” Briseis said.   
“What? What do I need to hear that you don’t think I already know?”  
“I could be in jail right now because of you! I could lose everything if anyone finds out. And it’s not just you and it’s not just me, it’s all of us, it’s everyone who knows! I keep thinking I’m going to get arrested by campus police and brought to the actual police station! You know the one a block from here?! What if they had a camera there? What if someone saw you? Achilles you wrecked this. You messed it all up and I--” She broke off.  
“I have nothing else to say to you.” She continued simply as she picked up her bag and walked away.


	21. Chapter 21

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm back and hopefully will (hopefully) be updating once a week! Thanks for sticking around!

“Fine, see if I care!” Achilles screamed after her. Helen looked panicked.  
“I’m still not happy with you, but we need to fix this,” she said.  
“How?” Achilles asked. He sat on the curb and ran his hands through his hair. Helen moved his trumpet and sat next to him.  
“Okay, so trying to reconcile with Andromache was not the best idea. First off, how about you actually apologize-”  
“But-”  
“No buts, you are in the wrong and if your pride is more important than Briseis and Patroclus then you have a lot more problems that I thought.” Helen said softly.  
“But they won't even talk to me. What do I do?” Helen had never seen Achilles look so lost.  
“Give them a week or so to cool down then calmly approach them and explain how truly sorry you are and ask them what you can do to regain their friendship.”  
“I guess it’s worth a shot,” Achilles sighed.  
“Great,” Helen smiled and Achilles smiled back.   
Achilles walked across campus to his dorm. The sun warmed his shoulders and raised his spirits considerably. Puddles from the latest rainstorm still dotted the sidewalk. Trumpet in hand, he decided to take a detour and grab a frappuccino and maybe bring a latte back for Diomedes. As he climbed the stairs to get to his dorm he saw Patroclus and Antilochus talking out of the corner of his eye. He took a deep breath and decided to heed Helen’s advice for once.  
In his dorm Diomedes was sitting on his bed reviewing his timpani part for the next concert, which was distressingly close. “Do you know if any of the practice rooms in the basement are open at the moment?” Achilles asked Diomedes.  
“I think there’s at least one. I know Penelope was down there earlier but I don't know if she still is.” Diomedes  
“Oh man, that’s awkward,” Achilles huffed.  
“Nah, it’s all cool, sort of. She’s mad at Ody, not me,” Diomedes said.  
“Fair point,” Achilles said smiling, he hadn’t smiled so much in a long while.  
“Oh, hey, before you go, Do you want me to do that jacket for Patroclus as a gift for when you two get back together.”  
“Do you really think we will?” Achilles asked hesitantly.  
“Yes,”  
“Why do you say that?”  
“He may or may not have left his diary in the orch room,”  
“You read his diary? That’s so wrong” Achilles asked, scandalized.  
“He was the one to leave it out,”   
“Still that’s- you know what, never mind, I’m going to go practice. See you,” Achilles said as he was about to leave the room.  
“Yeah, but do you want the jacket?” Diomedes asked.  
“You know what, sure. I’ll make everything right,” Achilles said.  
“That is the Achilles I know,” Diomedes said smiling.


	22. Chapter 22

The practice rooms were dark and bleak save for the lamp shining on Patroclus’s sheet music. He sat silently hunched over his cello staring at the music. His fingers felt stiff and heavy against the strings. As he set his bow to the strings he stumbled over his scales and arpeggios until even he could not bear the sound of it any longer.  
“It’s not helping that you’re watching me,” Patroclus muttered at Penelope.  
“Well, I’m not leaving,” She said.  
“I’m sure that has nothing to do with Diomedes and Odysseus, does it.” Patroclus said.  
“Yeah, okay, I don’t need your sarcasm, thanks.” she snapped.  
“We both have so many issues,” Patroclus sighed.  
Penelope returned to her phone and Patroclus returned to his practice. He could hardly focus with everything that was running through his head. Everything he had said to Achilles and everything he said back clawed at him. Part of him truly believed that Achilles really thought that exacting his sick revenge on Hector was the moral thing to do and the other part of him still wanted nothing to do with the one he once loved so dearly. The first part was stronger. Patroclus decided there in that practice room that if he got so much as a genuine apology he would forgive Achilles.   
He shuddered again as he missed a high note. Nothing was working. Not all the drills in the world were bringing back his music. His melodies were dry and harsh, but that was the least of it. The driving force behind everything was just gone. The very thing that made his music his had been tapped from him the day Hector hurt him. It was as if a rift had opened in his very heart.  
In a moment of intense anger and despair, Patroclus threw his sheet music off the stand and collapsed into tears.  
“It’s going to be okay,” Penelope said as she nervously pat him on the shoulder.  
“No it’s not,” Patroclus, growled. She was taken aback. It was not like Patroclus to be so angry.  
“You are going to get the music. You’ve got five days and it already sounds fine.” Penelope said.  
“It needs to sound better than fine and that’s not even it.”  
“What is -it- then?”  
“It’s nothing,” Patroclus gasped. Tears streamed down his face and dampened his sweater and his eyes were red from crying.  
“I don’t think it’s nothing,” Penelope whispered softly.  
“Fine then, it’s everything!” he yelled.  
“Patroclus-” She started to say.  
“I’m broken!” Patroclus screamed.   
“No you’re not,” Penelope sounded so small.  
“Yes I am and you think it too,” Patroclus snapped. He pushed his cello to the side and ran his hands through his hair. Before Penelope got a chance to speak again he continued.  
“It would have been better if I had just died.” He screamed.  
“I’m going to go get the counselor and don’t even think about trying to stop me Patroclus. I’ll be back soon, but know that I care about you and so does everyone. Don’t think that anyone would be happier if you had died. I don’t really know how to say it, but even through everything that has happened, Achilles’ heart beats mirror yours. If you heart stops beating then so will his.” Penelope whispered.  
As the door closed behind her Patroclus was enveloped by silence and his own sobbing. He tried to stop but found that he could not. He felt hollow, like a shell with glass rattling around inside him. Every breath he took hurt.


	23. Chapter 23

As Achilles walked down the hall with the practice rooms he felt uneasy. The old floorboards creaked under his feet. He had thought that he heard someone running but now he was completely alone.   
The light was on in his favorite practice room. normally, that would have been cause for some grumbling and nothing more, but he could hear small noises coming from inside. Weeping, perhaps, he thought. Then he thought of Penelope and decided that he couldn’t let her cry alone. He knew the feeling all too well recently.  
As he slowly pushed the door open he was greeted not by a weeping Penelope but by Patroclus. It hurt Achilles deeply to see him so undone.  
“Go away!” Patroclus yelled.   
Achilles braced himself, “I’m sorry Patroclus. I am truly sorry.” His voice was as low as a whisper.  
“I believed I was acting in your best interests when I hurt Hector. I didn’t take into account how it would make you feel and that was wrong of me. Will you ever forgive me?” Tears began to fall across his cheeks. He didn’t expect for Patroclus to even consider his apologie. He had been trying to say it since the day Patroclus awoke, but his pride made it get stuck in his throat.  
“I do,” Patroclus said through his tears.  
“What?” Achilles asked quietly.  
“I forgive you,” he stuttered.  
Achilles could not believe that it had been so easy. Three sentences was all it took. These three weeks of turmoil could have been completely avoided. That was all well and good, but Patroclus was still sobbing.  
“Are you alright?” Achilles asked, hesitant to put a hand on his shoulder.  
Patroclus feebly shook his head and gasped, “No, not really.”   
“Is there anything I can do to help?” Achilles asked.  
It slightly calmed Patroclus that Achilles reverted to that old dialogue from their childhood. Ever since they were little, whenever they were hurt it was : Are you okay? How can I help? In his heart he knew their troubles were far from over, but it was comforting to have Achilles back in his good graces. Even so, it did little to ease his anxiety over music. The question raced through his head: Is there anything I can do to help? Not this time.  
“You can’t” he said, trying to still his trembling hands and ragged breath.  
“What happened?” Achilles asked. His voice was soft and gently and reminded Patroclus of the ocean.   
“I lost my music,” he whimpered. It hurt Achilles to see him so vulnerable.  
If it had been any other time, Achilles would have joked that his music was right over there, on the floor, but now was not the time.  
“How?” he asked instead.  
“It’s been lost, ever since Hector hurt me. I can get all the notes right but there is no music to it.” He explained. Talking through his doubts and fears forced him to think logically and he began to stop crying.  
“Do you know where to find it?” Achilles asked.  
“Find my music?” Patroclus was confused.  
“Do you need to go out into the woods for awhile or talk to someone or anything like that.”  
“All I’ve been doing is practice,”  
“Here, in this dark room,” Achilles almost laughed, “That is no way to find your music, is it,”  
Patroclus laughed almost in spite of himself, “I suppose that would be a good idea,”  
“Let’s go the Briseis’s for the weekend, and bring your cello. I think it will do you a lot of good.” Achilles said.  
“I agree, plus we need to tell them that we’ve are now on speaking terms.” Patroclus said.  
Achilles smiled at this and impulsively went to grab Patroclus’s hand but stopped himself.   
“Is it okay if I hold your hand, considering all that has happened recently,” He asked.  
“Of course. Listen, I know we’ve had more than our fair share of issues, but I do trust you and you don’t have to be so afraid of offending me,” He said with a smirk. It made Achilles smile.  
With their fingers interlaced they moved to leave the room but not before Achilles picked up Patroclus’s sheet music. Lalo surrounded with little doodle hearts that Achilles drew one afternoon when he got bored. All of Patroclus’s performance notes were written in different colored pencil. On the top of the third page, on a particularly hard section Achilles had written: Remember to smile. I love you. Followed by another doodle heart and a star. Patroclus smiled for the first time in what felt like ages.  
“I like it when you do that. Chiron hates it, but it really does help me practice,” he said.  
“That’s good, I was worried it was distracting,” Achilles said.  
As they left the building hand in hand with their instruments at their sides they thought about Helen and Briseis.  
“You know, Briseis is going to flip when she sees you with me,” Patroclus said.  
“We’ll cross that bridge when we come to it,” Achilles said as they walked to the apartment.


	24. Chapter 24

“What the hell are you doing with him?” Briseis asked Achilles angrily.  
“He apologized,” Patroclus tried to explain.  
“He killed a man,” she yelled.  
“Technically he’s only in a coma,” Helen said.  
“That’s not exactly any better, now is it,” Briseis snapped. She immediately regretted it. Helen was far from delicate, but even she looked hurt.   
“Fine, as long as Patroclus is okay with it, you can stay here for the weekend.” Briseis said.   
As soon as the boys had gone to the guest room, Helen grabbed Briseis’s hand and took her to her room. Helen was so gentle. It made Briseis feel worse for snapping at her.   
As they sat on the light pink comforter Helen kissed Briseis’s cheek. She frowned slightly as she pulled away.  
“You have circles under your eyes,” Helen said.  
“It’s nothing,” Briseis grumbled.  
“Are you sure?” Helen asked as she reached out to grab Briseis’s hand.   
“I just haven’t been sleeping very well,” she said.  
“I’ve noticed. Why?”   
“It’s just this stupid concert. Five days is not enough more time. I just feel like I’m crap compared to the rest of you.” Brises sighed.  
“You’re kidding right? You are the best out of all of us.” Helen said.  
“I fucked up the arpeggio spot the last time I practiced,” Briseis grumbled.  
“You’re serious.” Helen said.  
“I can never get the high and fast notes correct.”  
“There is more to music than getting the notes right,” Helen said as she rubbed little circles over Briseis’s knuckles.  
“I know. I’m just really stressed,” she said.  
“You’re stressed about notes. Patroclus is stressed about his music. Perhaps it is a good thing that Achilles and I are around,” Helen said.  
“How do you know Patroclus is stressed about his music. And which part of his music?” Briseis asked.  
“You know, musical muse and all of that.” Helen answered.  
“That’s great, but how did you know?”  
“Achilles texted me on their way here saying Patroclus had an anxiety attack in one of the practice rooms,” Helen said uneasily.  
“So, you knew he was coming here,” Briseis said.  
“Yes,”   
“You now what, I don’t even care anymore, he can do as he likes.” Briseis huffed.  
Helen ran her fingers through Briseis’s hair and wrapped a blanket around her shoulders.  
“Have you eaten yet?” Helen asked.  
“Oh yeah, um, I haven’t eaten in a couple of days.” Briseis replied burrowing deeper into the blanket.  
“You what?” Helen asked.  
“I was distracted,” Briseis muttered.  
“Okay, so, I’m going to go order something from Hestia’s and then after this whole concerto thing is done we’re going to have a halk about healthy coping methods. Just as a tip, that isn’t one of them,” Helen said as she went to go grab her laptop.  
“I know,” Briseis mumbled.  
“You don’t have to, you know. The delivery person will probably be pissed at you for ordering something so late.” she said.  
“First off, it’s only eleven. Second, I don’t exactly give a fuck about what the delivery person thinks. You need to eat.” Helen sighed.   
“I know, can we get an olive and feta pizza? I bet Achilles and Patroclus would like to share,” Briseis asked.  
“Sure, with Achilles and Patroclus, now” Helen laughed.  
“You know what, let bygones be bygones and done is done. How on earth can I hold it on him forever,” Briseis said as she shifted in the bed.  
“That was not your mindset a few hours ago,” Helen said.  
“I just can’t deal with it right now. As long as Patroclus feels safe and happy, that’s all that matters.” Briseis said. Helen could not agree more.   
After the pizza arrived the four friends gathered on Briseis’s couch to watch bad horror movies and talk about exactly what they were going to do for the next five days. Patroclus had a blanket around his shoulders and some peppermint tea and Briseis was wearing one of Helen’s sweatshirts.  
“Well, first thing’s first, we should not neglect our health either physical or mental for this,” Helen said.  
“Agreed,” said Patroclus as he sipped his tea.  
“We should each have two hour practice slots while the significant other is not practicing,” Briseis said.  
“Also agreed,” Achilles chimed  
“You think I’m significant?” Helen asked.  
“Always,” Briseis said.  
“Oh and you know the typical, drink lots of water, sleep a ton, only practice what needs work-” Achilles said before he was cut of by Patroclus.  
“Which is never the entire piece,” he said.  
“So basically what we need to do is be normal except for the sleeping thing.” Briseis said.  
“Pretty much,” Helen said.  
“Well, I guess that’s good,” Patroclus sighed.  
That night Patroclus fell asleep with his head on Achilles’ shoulder. It was the first time either of them had slept soundly for the past three weeks. They were out before the movie was even over. Helen and Briseis, however, watched till the end, making snide comments whenever the main character did anything stupid. When the movie was over they went to go sleep in Briseis’s room and for once, all was silent.


	25. Chapter 25

The five days passed in the blink of an eye. Much to the quartet’s surprise, there were no major breakdowns, Achilles and Briseis didn’t kill each other, and they all pretended to be confident with the quality of their music. It was the day of the concert and after shooting quick texts to their respective roommates, after rehearsal, Achilles and Patroclus went to Briseis’s to get ready.  
“Well, two hours and counting,” Patroclus sighed.  
“There is no going back now,” Achilles said.  
“I really don’t think there was any going back at all,” Helen retorted.   
“Well, back when Agamemnon-” Briseis began to say.  
“Do not bring that up,” Patroclus snapped.  
“I’m sorry,” she said. Patroclus was blushing.  
“I’m sorry I yelled,” he said.  
Then there was silence. The sun was starting to sink lower into the sky and june bugs buzzed outside the window. Every so often someones phone would go off and they would report that it was some odd member of the orchestra wishing them luck. Agamemnon had told them in their final rehearsal that they all sounded marvelous and to take it easy for the rest of the day. Taking it easy was quickly becoming one of the hardest thing they ever did.  
Patroclus sat awkwardly at the edge of the couch and was bouncing his knee and Helen was listening to music and picking at her fingernails. finally Briseis had had enough.  
“Clearly, just sitting here is making things worse so why don’t we do something,” she said.  
“What?” Helen asked.  
“I don’t know. We could get dressed up in our concert clothes and do a photoshoot, play cards, write poetry about the plants, I don’t really care, just anything.” she said.  
“A photoshoot sounds fun and your apartment is the best place for it.” Patroclus said.  
“Well, I’m in if you guys are,” Achilles said.  
“Great, I’ll grab my camera, plus, by the time we finish it will be time to leave,” Briseis said.  
“I’ll go first,” Helen said as she followed Briseis into her room.  
The emerged ten minutes later first Briseis, then Helen. She wore a beautiful strapless red dress with embroidered roses. Her golden curls were held in place by bobby pins with roses. It looked as if she was wearing a crown. The final touch were dangling ruby earrings.  
“You look fantastic,” Achilles said.  
“Thanks, I wasn’t sure if the earrings would work with the short hair, but I guess they did.” Helen said.  
They went around the house taking pictures everywhere they could think of. As it turns out, it was great at distracting them from their worries.  
“We might as well go in concert order,” Achilles said as he moved to go get his suit. A couple minutes later he came back with his tie.  
“Uh, can anyone help me with this,” he asked.  
“Seriously, you’re a senior in college and you can’t tie your own tie,” Briseis said.  
“Can you do it?” he asked.  
“No, but it’s never been necessary,” she said   
“Relax, I’ll do,” Patroclus said.  
After fixing his tie and eventually his hair, Achilles and Patroclus went to go take pictures. While they were doing this, Helen took Briseis into her room.  
“Achilles is going to propose tonight,” Helen said.  
“No way. Did he tell you?” Briseis asked.  
“No, but I saw the ring box,” she answered.  
“That could be anything,” Briseis murmured.  
“Or it could be everything,” Helen retorted.  
“Do you think it’s a good idea? I mean, they've been back together for a total of five days now,” Briseis asked.  
“But think of all the years they’ve spent together before. At this point, the worst has happened and they are still together,” Helen reasoned.  
“Why wouldn’t he tell us?” Briseis wondered.  
“Maybe he’s scared?” she suggested.  
“I don’t think so. By the way, are you sure Achilles is the one proposing because I thought I saw Patroclus looking up jewelry stuff before everything went wrong.” Briseis said.  
“Fairly sure it was Achilles,” Helen said.  
“Patroclus is hardly the one for baubles,” Briseis said.  
“Maybe he was buying it for his mom or sister or something,” Helen suggested.  
“He is not exactly on good terms with his parents,” Briseis responded.  
“and you’re sure it was Patroclus?” Helen asked  
“Positive,” she said.  
“You don’t think?” Helen asked.  
“Oh, I think,” Briseis answered.  
“This is going to be the best concerto night ever,” Helen said.  
Suddenly there was a car honking outside the window. Helen looked out and sure enough it was Antilochus and Diomedes, ready to pick them up and drive them to the theatre.  
“Oh crap,” Briseis said as she started to get into her dress.  
“Achilles, Patroclus, we kinda have to go, now,” Helen called.  
Briseis and Helen heard some swearing and definitely some very expensive things being knocked over, but in the next five minutes everyone was dressed, with their instruments and out the door.


	26. Chapter 26

It was time for the concert. If they were asked later, none of the soloists would have remembered who talked to them before they performed or what the conversation was about. Their nervous energy seemed to fill the air.  
The house lights were dimmed and the audience had become silent. Helen was already waiting in the wings to walk on with Agamemnon. Achilles, Patroclus, and Briseis were huddled around a small screen in a changing room. When Helen walked onto the stage, everyone clapped.   
Briseis sat at the edge of her chair as the orchestra began their intro. The low tremolo set the audience on edge. Helen’s first notes were filled with raw passion and almost anger. She was a force to be reckoned with. The very notes that she played seem to belong to her being. They were threatening before resolving to a light melody and then once again dissolving to wrought emotion.  
She looked exquisite upon the stage, but she was more than beauty and her music demanded that. Not even Paris could sit in the audience and think she was an object to be trifled with. It was amazing, Patroclus thought, how this concerto embodied everything that was Helen: all the fire and all the might. He wondered if that would be a common theme in their performance. He hoped it would, for this was something to marvel at.   
In eight short minutes, Helen’s concerto was finished. It ended with such a fury as it began and the crowd went wild. Achilles silently left to go to the wings so he could enter when his name was called. Patroclus was breathing heavily. Briseis put a hand on his shoulder and assured him that everything would be fine. Though, as soon as Achilles walked on the stage, his hair gleaming under the lights, he started to tap his fingers.  
Achilles was nothing if not confident. He was confident in his playing, confident in his manner, and confident in his tone. His Hummel Concerto had a vastly different feel to it compared to Helen’s Saint-Saens. Helen and Brises held Patroclus’s hand during the lengthy orchestra intro. As the violin built in furious arpeggios Achilles entered.  
He sounded regal. With his shoulders pushed back and the purple of his shirt, he looked it too. His melody seemed to carry a hint of regret along with it’s natural arrogance. While his trumpet part was flowing and melodic, whenever the orchestra got a note in, it was packed with energy and fury. It seemed as though the audience could hear the uncertainty that hid behind the royal manner of his song.  
An entire eleven minutes passed before Achilles finished. In those eleven minutes it seems that he had been crowned a king and went to war and won. He was as confident and arrogant as ever. There was, however, no hiding in music. That was Achilles, through and through.  
Patroclus had not realized that he had started crying when Achilles was playing. He had never been so proud. Achilles rushed off the stage as fast as was acceptable and he ran back to the dressing room where his closest friends were huddled. Patroclus flung his arms around his waist and pressed his face into the crook of his neck.  
“I’m so proud of you,” He whimpered. Patroclus didn’t realize that he had started audibly sobbing. Achilles grabbed his hand.  
“What’s wrong?” he whispered into Patroclus’s ear.  
“It’s nothing, I just love you so much and you make me so happy,” he reassured Achilles.   
After the intermission they returned to their spots by the monitor and Briseis stood in the wings. Her dress made it look like she was a sea nymph. Her Mercadante concerto was much to the same effect. The very notes seemed to take her into their ethereal arms. Quick scales and arpeggios seemed like bubbles rising from the sea. Cool melodies sometimes seemed like waves and other times like the shorebirds that flew above them.   
Often the music was calm but sometimes tension only ever rode just below the surface and rarely did it show through, though when it did, it was abrupt and obvious. Sometimes it twisted and turned. The music seemed, in itself incredibly clever.  
Briseis worked in perfect harmony with the orchestra. It was as if they were one. It was impossible for it to be any other way in any concerto, but even standing in the front with a dress like the ocean, it seemed like she blended in.  
Briseis hit a particularly languid spot in the song and Helen made a small motion towards the monitor. She could think of nothing more beautiful than seeing Briseis lost, so completely lost in the music. It was almost devastating to see it come to an end after only nine minutes. It seemed that not only Briseis, but also the audience was spellbound by the clever and twisting sea.  
She walked slowly offstage as if she were still in a trance. Helen took her by the hand and led her back to the dressing room. Achilles and Patroclus stood by the door that led to the wings.  
“You are going to be amazing,” Achilles said as he held Patroclus’s hand.  
“I will,” Patroclus said.  
“I love you so much, no matter what happens, okay,” Achilles said.  
“I love you too,” Patroclus said as he gave Achilles a quick kiss before he left. Achilles hurried back to the dressing room so he could watch his beautiful lover.  
Patroclus’s hand shook as the orchestra played their intro. He hoped nobody in the audience would notice. The first thing that he played was extremely transparent and was, by far the most terrifying thing for Patroclus to play.  
Even through all of his fear, Lalo sounded proud and defiant. It seemed to scream, you can not break me so easily. It was an unbroken, powerful melody that the orchestra seemed to shatter with periodic chords but it always came back as strong as ever. There was even bravery marked in the slower, calmer development. It seemed to relax into itself only again to be disrupted by the orchestra.  
Patroclus and his cello seemed to be facing off against the entire orchestra. It was not something to be taken lightly. It was easy to see why Agamemnon was so adamant to not have it on the program at all. This concerto was an act of rebellion. It was Patroclus finding his way.   
Now, halfway through the song, Patroclus felt nothing but the purest joy. Music filled him from head to toe. Instead of letting it take him as it did with Briseis, he seemed to command it. He hammered it from his bow and knit it with his fingers. This was his. It wasn’t a product of his parents or of Hector or even of Achilles. This was a projection of himself to the entire concert hall. It was his heart and his very being.  
Twelve minutes later the music ended and the hall was silent. It broke Patroclus’s heart. Then a woman started clapping and before long everyone in the theatre was clapping and standing. Friends from other classes were cheering and calling his name. Briseis, Helen, and Achilles ran into the wing. Tears clouded Achilles’ grey eyes.  
Once Agamemnon had called them back onto the stage, Achilles gripped Patroclus’s free hand with all his might. All of their parents were permitted to come onto the stage to give their children flowers. It did not go unnoticed that there was no one there for Patroclus. Instead, his Archaeology professor, came and gave him a bouquet of white lilies and carnations.  
There was nothing ever, greater than this, standing on stage being seen as what you truly are and having people cheer.  
Helen is passion. Achilles is confidence. Briseis is calm and clever. Patroclus is brave. That is all anyone needed to know.


	27. Chapter 27

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The Finale

Achilles, Patroclus, Briseis, and Helen went to go grab their things before they left to go back to the apartment. Achilles had his music bag slung over his shoulder and Patroclus had asked Antilochus to take his cello back to the dorm.  
“You guys can go back without us. We’ll be there in a sec,” Achilles said.  
“Alright, we’re going to order from Hestia’s and pick up stuff to make icecream sundaes. Any requests.” Briseis asked.  
“Mint chocolate chip please,” Patroclus said.  
“Will do. See you guys later,” Briseis said.  
“Come with me,” he said to Patroclus after their friends had left. They walked through the backstage halls and onto the stage once more.   
“It’s weird not being out here with my cello,” Patroclus said.  
“Were you afraid?” Achilles asked.  
“Terrified,” Patroclus answered.  
“Are you afraid of anything else?”  
“What sort of question is that?” Patroclus asked.   
“I don’t know,” Achilles admitted.   
“Why did you bring me here?” Patroclus asked.  
“It’s just-I need you to close your eyes.” Achilles said.  
“Okay,” Patroclus said.  
Achilles rummaged through his music bag to find the ring box. He opened it and began to kneel. The ring was white gold with a single rectangular diamond in the center. no matter how many times he ran his thumb over it, he could hardly distinguish between the metal and the gem.  
“Are your eyes close?” he asked Patroclus.  
“Yes,” he replied.  
“Patroclus Menoitiades, you have been my best friend since we were children. You have been with me through good and bad, right and wrong. I have done horrible things and you have forgiven me. I would like to ask one more thing from you. Patroclus,I love you. Will you marry me?” Achilles hands were shaking.   
Patroclus’s eyes fluttered open and he stared at Achilles for a moment. There were tears in his eyes. Achilles was beginning to feel uneasy. He thought that he had made a mistake and Patroclus wasn’t ready for this. Either way, there was no going back now. Achilles could not bear the silence.  
“What do you say?” he asked.  
Patroclus pulled Achilles to his feet and started at him before speaking.  
“Can you close your eyes?” he asked. Achilles did so and Patroclus pulled a ring box from his jacket pocket and knelt. Inside was a white gold ring with a row of black diamonds. Inscribed on the inside was the word Philtatos: soulmate.  
“Achilles Pleiades, I love you more than I think you know. I could say a million things and still you would have only a glimpse. So let me ask this. Will you marry me?” Patroclus said. He thought that Achilles made it look easy. Now, it was Achilles’ turn to be in shock.   
“Of course I will,” he stuttered. Achilles took Patroclus’s ring and slipped it on his finger. The light metal contrasted wonderfully with his dark skin.   
Once they were both wearing their rings, they fell into a loving embrace. Patroclus held Achilles cheek in his hand and kissed him. His lips felt like velvet, warm and inviting. Achilles ran his fingers through Patroclus’s curly hair.   
All too soon they broke apart and decided it was best to return to Briseis’s apartment. They walked there together. The moon was full and it was silent save for the wind rustling the leaves. It smelt of wisteria and honeysuckle. The night could hardly be more perfect.  
When they reached the apartment, Helen and Briseis were already passed out on the couch. Achilles and Patroclus decided against waking them and instead went straight to their room and changed into plaid pajama pants and t-shirts.  
“I didn’t think you’d do it,” Patroclus murmured as they lay in the bed.  
“I didn’t think you would either,” Achilles said. He wrapped his arms around Patroclus and rested his head on his chest.  
“Do you remember you ring?” Patroclus asked.  
“The one I gave you before the incident? I had forgotten about it. Why do you ask?” Achilles said.  
“I was just wondering. That day, I thought it was your own strange way of proposing.” Patroclus laughed.  
“Would you have said yes?” he asked.  
“I think I would have,” Patroclus said. He turned to press a kiss into Achilles’ hair.  
“I love you so much,” Achilles whispered.  
“I love you too,” Patroclus replied.  
Achilles closed his eyes to fall asleep. He held Patroclus in his arms and sighed. As he fell asleep he listened to the sound of Patroclus’s heart. There was hardly a more beautiful sound in all this world.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> In case anyone was wondering what the rings actually looked like.  
> Achilles: http://dallasindiefestival.com/male-engagement-rings-with-cool-designs.html  
> Patroclus: http://www.weddingsoutfit.com/mens-engagement-rings/


End file.
